Rating: RRR
Label: Doolittle Group 2013
Review by Kimmo Toivonen
Welcome to the time machine! This time we're going back to... 1984! Seriously, everything about this album sounds, looks and probably smells like it was recorded 30 years ago! Black Rose have absolutely no modern pretensions, they're doing it like it was done back then.
Although the band is from Sweden, they sound very British. Do you remember the snappy tag "New Wave Of British Heavy Metal"? Well, Black Rose would have fit right at home among those bands, possibly representing the more melodic, slightly U.S. influenced side of it. Tokyo Blade, Heavy Pettin, early Def Leppard... or if Iron Maiden had gotten a serious melodic rock bug after their first couple of albums.
Vocalist Peter Thederan has a pleasant raspy voice which reminds me of Graham Bonnet at times, guitarist Thomas Berg delivers effective if tried-and-trusted riffage and the rhythm section of Peter Haga (drums) and Anders Haga (bass) keep this Metal Train on the rails. As for the production... well, if the mission was to make an album that sounds like it was recorded in the early eighties on a low budget, I'll have to say that the mission has been completed. A bit rough around the edges...
The album's best ingredient is the most important one - the songs. The band has obviously paid attention to the choruses, as there are a few really catchy ones on the album. "Rise Again", "Turn On The Night", "Our Wisdom" and the ballad "We Were Winners" for example. The choruses kind of take you by surprise as the verses are more in the NWOBHM vein.
If this was a demo or a self-financed album, I'd say go and find a producer, work on your songs and maybe write a few more and then record a great album. But as this is a legit release, I'll just say "a good effort" - three R's.
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