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ABSOLUTE ZERO | Never Surrender | (Point Music, 2000)

Never Surrender / Make Believe / Jaimee / Caught In The Fire / Out Of Time / Should Have Known Better / Stranded / Patiently / One Lifetime

Marc Engeran (vocals & guitar) and Randy Settoon (keyboards) released in 1997 as Rokbox a not so bad record with material leaning towards sounds of Bad English, Journey etc. Not as classy, far from it, but decent.
Absolute Zero is a band/project Engeran/Settoon were a part of in the early nineties. The other members were Chris Roberts (vocals), Jim Odom (guitars, ex Le Roux), David Peters (drums, ex Le Roux) and David Campo (bass).
Comparisions with Rokbox are inviteable, but as a whole "Never Surrender" is a more static and generic mr/AOR record with ideas hardly unexpected. That is so the problem. The excitement of not knowing exactly what will happen is never present. Most songs merely passes "routine number" class and only a few songs, like 2 or 3, ask for my attention. "Jaimee" is an up tempo song, which hangs around for a while, "Out Of Time" and "One Lifetime" are nice tracks in a mid tempoish AOR format.
Not absolutely zero, but almost.

Review by: Stefan

ADRIANGALE | Feel the Fire | (Kivel Records, 2000)

Feel the Fire / Save Our Love / Reap What You Sow / If the Sun / Giving It Up / Easy Come Easy Go / Just Let Me Love You / Mission Man / Honey Child / Walkin' the Dog

I tell you, every once in a while a release comes out of nowhere and blows your mind. For me, the biggest surprise of the year comes from AdrianGale's debut cd "Feel the Fire." Jamie Rowe (Ex Guardian vocalist) has one of the most amazing voices that I've ever heard. If you like vocalists like: Jeff Keith (Tesla), Keith Slack (Steelhouse Lane) and Paul Laine (Danger Danger) I think you'd better give Jamie Rowe's new band a listen. He also has an excellent band backing him up! They are: Vic Rivera (Guitars/Drums), Todd Goldie (Bass) and Eddie Campbell (Lead Guitars). The production is another thing that I have to mention - it's great! The guitars (especially the lead guitars) are up-front in the mix - which I really like.

The title track starts off the disc on the right foot. This is an excellent rocker with the main guitar riff sounding like Angus Young made a guest appearance on the album. Jamie sounds incredible (as he does on the entire cd) and it's just the start of what's to come. "Save Our Love" is an up tempo rocker that will please people who like more the AOR side of things. "Reap What You Sow" is up next and this song could easily have been a TESLA song. Jamie sounds so much like Jeff Keith on this song - it's scary. "If the Sun" is the first ballad on the cd. It's an excellent piano ballad with a strong chorus. "Giving It Up" and "Easy Come Easy Go" are two flat out rockers that live up to the quality of the rest of the album. "Easy Come Easy Go" has a TESLA meets KISS vibe happening and works well for the song. "Let Me Love You" is the next ballad. This song wouldn't be out of place on Unruly Child's cd "Waiting for the Sun" - it has that feel to it. "Mission Man" is an interesting song, sounding again a lot like TESLA and, is that Bill Clinton I hear in the background? "Honey Child" is an acoustic blues number which reminds me very much of the style of the Coverdale/Page cd - great track. "Walking the Dog " ends the cd the way it began, hard hitting - a fantastic song accompanied by some outstanding guitar work.

There's nothing on this cd that I can say I don't enjoy. It's an incredible disc that would have been HUGE if it was released in 1989! For those of you who can't get enough of the old school hard rock sound - this cd is something you MUST check out. Visit www.kivelrecords.com for more information.

Review by: Rob

ALIEN | Best & Rare | (Virgin Records, 1997)

DISC 1 (Best): Only One Woman / Tears Don't Put Out The Fire / Go Easy / The Air That I Breathe / Easy Livin' / Brave New Love / Touch My Fire / I've Been Waiting / Feel My Love / Angel Eyes / Turn On The Radio / Hold On Move On / Don't Turn Me Away / A Little Ain't Good Enough / Standin' Alone / Searchin'
DISC 2 (Rare): Tokyo Night / Lady Of My Life / We Will Meet Again / Stranger / Stand Up And Fight / Now Love / Therapy Of Tears / Headstrong / I'll Survive / In A Crazy World Like This / Somewhere Out There / How Long / 21st Century Man / Wild, Young & Free / Hot Summer Nights / Eagle

This collection proves that Alien created some nice music in the AOR-genre.
Sure they're not as good as Journey, Survivor or bands like that, but it is obvious that those bands were quite inspirational for them. So a collection of their four, (five if you include the US-remix of their first album), albums couldn't be wrong for you who still have doubts about this band. Songs like "Go Easy", "Tears Don't Put Out The Fire", "Touch My Fire" and "Brave New Love" are all really nice AOR-tracks.
This compilation also offers a bonus disc with some rare and unreleased material, so even if you already have all their albums you should definitely fetch a copy. There's one song with first singer Hasse Gislasson and it should be seen more as curiosa than anything else. There are several tracks with Jim Jidhed on lead vox also, amongst those a version of "In A Crazy World Like This", yes the one that has been done to death. Pete Sandberg does a nice job on the Russ Ballard written "21st Century Man", a typical up-tempo rocker. "How Long", also performed by Pete S includes some nice harmonies and keyboard-fills.
All in all a nice collection, a plus for the concept with the disc with rare and unreleased material, definitely a concept for other artists/record companies to copy.

Review by: Stefan

AMAZE ME | Dream On | (Now & Then Records, 1997)

Dream On / It's All Over / Danger / My Heart Says Forever / Wild Dogs / That Night / What About / Heaven / Hold On To Love / All I Ever Wanted / I Am Waiting

This is a rather nice surprise. Personally I don't like using the term "AOR" too much (well...), but it couldn't be more suitable for this record.
This Swedish duo has managed to come up with a perfect mix of ballads, mid-tempos and rockers.
Opener "Dream On" trembles but is in full bloom in the chorus part. "It's All Over" will also be loved by fans of softer AOR. 3rd track "Danger" is without a doubt AOR of a brand I really like. It's one of those kinds of choruses you can't help but sing along to.
Actually the rest part of the album pretty much follows the style and sound of the 3 above mentioned tracks.
The 2 main things that stops me from grading it any higher are a production that is not of the highest quality and a couple of songs sounds too much the same.
Halfway to amazing.

Review by: Stefan

AMAZE ME | Amaze Me | (Z Records, 1998)

God's Gift To Women / You Say You Never Cry / Help Me Through The Night / Tough Ain't Enough / Fairwarning / Your Lover Your Friend / It Seems So Hollywood / Next Train Back / Love Is Like A Fire / You Can't Hide / Fever / I Dream Long Distance / Tell Me Why

Swedish band Amaze Me's last album (which in reality was released AFTER this one), "Dream On", was a really pleasant affair within the poppier AOR-field. It was indeed a bit uneven, but it had some really high tops, too.
If you liked "Dream On", you're going to love this one. With tracks like "You Say You Never Cry", "Tough Ain't Enough" and "Next Train Back", Amaze Me establish themselves as one of Sweden's finest AOR-acts around.
The only thing to criticise is, as on "Dream On", the programming which gets a bit stale at times, but by the end of the day it's the songs that counts.
Enjoy!

Review by: Larry

AMAZE ME | Wonderland | (Z Records, 1999)

Wonderland / Without Your Love / Thousand Miles Away / Shadow From The Past / Higher & Higher / Stuck With The Blues / Heart Made Of Stone / Red Lips / My Momma Told Me / Good Day To Die

This Swedish duo's (consisting of songwriter/instrumentalist Peter Broman and vocalist Conny Lind) 2nd effort "Dream On" was a pleasant surprise for me back in the spring of 1997. Sure, it lacked in the production department (mainly due to an in places awful drum machine sound) but most importantly it had a string of really decent tunes with the absolutely wonderful "Danger" as best moment.
When Peter told me that they would use a real drummer (his brother Thomas, who have played with Electric Boys) for their 3rd release I thought that they could come up with a really interesting piece of work.
Their new album "Wonderland" is melodic and the addition of real drums was most welcomed, but why have all the catchy melodies been replaced with all these forgettable and silly hardrock guitars? Their previous touch for fine melodies are only captured in a few songs. "Without Your Love" is alright as is "Thousand Miles Away". "Shadows From The Past is with its mid paced tempo my favourite and it reminds of what already seems to be glorious days.
The rest is more or less not up to the standard I would want from a talented songwriter as Peter Broman. If real drums mean they will do hardrock-tinged stuff from now on I'd rather see them stick with those drum machines of "Dream On" and its AOR style.

Review by: Stefan

ARSYN | Degeneration | (RSE Entertainment, 1999)

Kill Joy / Blind Fury / Psycho Super Society / Knock Down Mr.Foolish / Hit The Ground / Will Be Gone / Exist And Die / Silent Scream / Succubus Blues / Kill Joy (Cenzo re-mix) / Blind Fury (Baldy re-mix)

Longing for the return of House Of Lords? Then maybe this could be for you&or maybe NOT I should say! This is produced by Lanny Cordola & Chuck Wright (of HOL-fame) together with Pat Regan. This could be labelled industrial trash or something like that. The most listenable track is called "Kill Joy" and I guess that says something about the level of this release. If old forgotten (?) AOR heroes are all heading this way, then I don t want to be part of this anymore! AVOID!

Review by: Larry

ATELLO | The Big Payoff | (Atello Music, 1999)

Intro / Love Me Down / Emotional Blackmail / (You've Got A) Grip on My Heart / Your Love / Full Moon Fever / Hold On / Blind Justice / Big Payoff

Atello are a New York based hard rock act who have put together a very well produced and solid group of songs. The problem I have with it is there's nothing on here that I haven't heard other bands do a hundred times before. When I approach a new album though, I always try to take the album for what it is and not what I think it should be. If you do that with ATELLO, I'm sure the end result will be quite pleasing.

Things start off with "Love Me Down" which is very late eighties / early nineties in sound (actually the entire cd is in this mode) and comparisons that come to mind are Jester, Sven Gali, and Skid Row. "Emotional Blackmail" has some flashy guitar playing by Rick Giarmo throughout the song and is hard rockin' all the way through. These guys are very talented musicians without a doubt. Again Skid Row come to mind when I hear this track! "You've Got A Grip on my Heart" slows things down and it's a fairly decent ballad. Vocalist Larry Atello sounds so much like the singer from Sven Gali on this track - it's unreal! This track sure would fit the material on the debut cd from Sven Gali. This track is rather long (almost seven minutes) and gets heavier when the chorus kicks in. "Your Love" picks up the pace again and "Full Moon Fever" is a Lynch Mob style rocker. Maybe it's the guitar playing that makes me think of Lynch Mob (?) The rest of the cd follows basically in the same fashion with "Blind Justice" being one of my favourite songs on the cd and the Zakk Wylde style guitar playing on "The Big Payoff" is quite impressive as well.

Overall, a very solid release and I hear that they have generated some major label interest. If you are a fan of Skid Row, Sven Gali and Jester this will be very pleasing to you. Visit their website and take a listen to the songs for yourself! www.Atello.com

Review by: Rob

AVALON | In A Different Light | (Sparrow Records, 1999)

Take You At Your Word / In Not Of / In A Different Light / Can't Live A Day / Always Have, Always Will / I'm Speechless / If My People Pray / Only For The Weak / Let Your Love / Hide My Soul / First Love

Here's an album that differs a bit from the usual AOR:ish stuff that we do write about.
This one's breathing today's guitar oriented pop-stuff. Perhaps they're leaning towards melodies more than most bands within the genre.
"Last Weekend" and "Break The Fall" are the only 2 tracks that could be described as AOR:ish, even if they're really not.
Pop-music sparkling with energy, melodies, distorted vocals and a very alive sound are some of the ingredients behind one of the coolest record's of '97, according to me.
Be bold, lighten your wallet and get your own copy - if you dare?

Review by: Larry

AXE | Twenty Years From Home | (MTM Music, 1997)

Running The Gauntlet / Rock And Roll Party / Burn The City Down / Heat In The Street / Now Or Never / Life's Just An Illusion / Eagle Flies Alone / Living On The Edge / All Through The Night / First Time, Last Time / Forever / Back On The Streets / Heroes And Legends / Sting Of The Rain

One of the most hyped comebacks earlier this year was when Axe returned with their "Five"-album. They have by some been raised as one of the best AOR-acts there has ever been. You've got to be kidding!
Of what I have heard of their older recordings I would say that they are more of a melodic hardrock band than a classy AOR-act.
Sure, there are a couple of AOR-oriented songs on this album consisting of re-recorded songs from their 4 first records. "Eagle Flies Alone" is perhaps the best one out of those.
But most of the time, Axe sounds hopelessly dated.

Review by: Stefan

AXE | Twenty Years - Volume II | (MTM Music, 1999)

Let Music Come Back / Hang On / Young Hearts / Jennifer / I Don't Want To Be Alone Tonight / Midnight Drives Me Mad / Steal Another Fantasy / Silent Soldiers / Holdin On / Dangerous Games / Sympathize / For A Little While / Carry On / Masquerade

Axe is here with yet another volume of re-recorded songs from their 4 first records; also 2 re-recordings from Bobby Barth's solo album "2 Hearts 1 Beat" and a bonus track.
I thought that they didn't had good material enough to fill one disc so this should be even worse I thought, but it's really not me thinks.
The first half is actually really, or at least nice anyway. Catchy melodies if a bit unspectacular. But still I must say that major part of the material doesn't speak to me at all. Their old-fashioned hardrock style is simply just not down my alley.
Fool me once, fool me twice…

Review by: Stefan