MelodicRock.com Reviews


ECLIPSE
THE TRUTH AND A LITTLE MORE
Z Records
Produced by: Not Listed
Released: OUT / Website
Relatives: Kharma, Alfonzetti, 21 Guns
GENRE: AOR
OVERALL: 86%

  1. Midnight Train
  2. The Truth
  3. The Only One
  4. Message Of Love
  5. I Believe In You
  6. I Thought I Had It All
  7. The Way I Feel
  8. Songs Of Yesterday
  9. A Little More
  10. Too Far
  11. How Many Times
  12. I Won't Hide

Sweden has some knack of delivering fine talent in recent times and here we go again with another superb slice of pure genius melodic rock. What's even more impressive is that these guys are young! Vocalist Erik Mårtensson is only 24....and this is their debut album!
Anyone into European and primarily Swedish AOR should run to the stores to purchase this album.
In the best tradition of fellow Swedes - Europe and Kharma, these guys have recorded an album of classic melodic rock that like those bands is immaculately produced and delivered.
The band's vocalist Erik is dead on for Goran Edman, which will please site regulars no end, and their sound is more straight up classic AOR over say Kharma, which was more a classic rock vibe.
In fact, on The Truth, the guys go close to evolving their own sound already, with a sharp mix of tight rhythm and classy (and chunky!) lead guitar breaks.
After the two more aggressive and harder edged opening tracks in the vein of Kharma comes the first taste of the band's other personality. The feel good harmony filled pure AOR/soft rock anthem of The Only One. Their light mutli-layered harmonies are a treat to the ears.
Message of Love uses a really interesting modern pop beat underneath the track that gives this passionate ballad a real modern edge and original feel.
The guys pull another one out of the bag with I Believe In You. It's a familiar sounding track - a pleasant pure AOR pop rocker, but the harmony vocals take this song to another level.
On I Thought I Had It All it's back into a harder edge style, with more guitar prominent, but still the harmonies shine thru like the first warm day of summer.
I could go on, but the rest of the album is the same. Filled with snappy guitar dominated AOR in the style that only all these great Swedish acts seem to be able to produce. They really are on a roll over there. What's next I ask?!
BOTTOM LINE: Another classic straight up Scandinavian AOR / melodic rock album. This has all the class of a major label release and an extra dose of guitar over some other AOR release. Lots of energy and lots of great hooks. One of the best pure AOR records of recent times and another great purchase for any fan of Scandi-rock.
PRODUCTION: % SONGS: % VIBE: %ATTITUDE: %
ESSENTIAL FOR: All fans of Scandinavian AOR and hard rock, fans of Goran Edman and generally, most fans of great rocking AOR.



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