Tag: treat

Having achieved some moderate success in the mid-to-late eighties, the band disbanded in the early nineties, only for Frontiers to resurrect the band in about 2010. This is the fourth release of the comeback, and for me it’s one of their best.

As with all Swedish bands, they know how to write great melodies with riffs and grooves that matter. Freudian Slip opens things up and its classic Treat, with the big hook and riff driving along. Rabbit Hole is more of the same, with a killer middle eight that reminds me of classic Talisman. Sinbiosis is up next and starts with a nice keyboard guitar duel before a cool chugga riff drives the tune along, and just to rub it in, the hook and chorus are top drawer as if they do this in their sleep. Home Of The Brave is just one big anthem – hands and lighters in the air here peeps! Nice acoustic intro to Both Ends Burning – its the most commercial track on the album – until we get to the killer heavy instrumental section – an awesome tune! My Parade is next and it’s ballad time I’m afraid…

Wake Me When It’s Over has a superb guitar intro and the vocal melody is really infectious. Jesus From Hollywood starts with a very busy guitar riff with church choir vocals over the top, and then it’s normal service with the massive hook and chorus. It’s ballad number two with Magic, which does remind me of something else – but I guess it’s just one of those melodies. I guess somebody had a bad experience with a Carolina Reaper to name a song after one, but the song is far from down – it’s a very uplifting melody and hook. Dark To Light has the heaviest main riff of all the songs and is my favourite on the album. The album closes out with To The End Of Love, and this is the one song that reminds of Journey. It’s a big AOR monster of a tune. A great album that has great songs with melody and groove.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

This is the band’s first album released in ’85 and this a lovely sounding Japanese copy. I’m a big fan of all things from Sweden in the rock and metal category, as everything that usually comes from there is on the money.

As you can tell by the cover, glam is the order of the day here and nothing too taxing on the old brain lyrically. Changes is a pretty good opener with a good groove and sing-a-long chorus. The title track is almost a power pop vibe and very commercial sounding. Hidin’ tries its best to be a commercial sounding Rainbow, with the addition of an Hammond organ, but it’s tracks with the big hair and LA vibe that they do best – Too Wild being the perfect example.

The tracks that don’t work are We Are One, where they suddenly decide to be a cut price Journey. Always stick to what you’re good at, and No Room For Strangers brings things back to normality after that brief blip. The commercial Rainbow vibe returns with Run With The Fire – and then we’re at the end. Their best album is Dreamhunter, which would be a couple of years later – still not a bad first attempt.

8/10 from The Grooveman.