Although the band had been around since 1980, it wasn’t until 1990 that Valentine got an opportunity to record this classic AOR monster. Shortly after this release, they changed their name to Open Skyz. Main man Hugo was actually in the frame to replace Steve Perry in Journey, and that should give you a clue to the direction this record takes.
If Journey and Def Leppard were put in a blender then Valentine would pop out. Other than the obvious focal point of Hugo, Adam Holland is an absolute revelation on guitar and he sprinkles just the right amount of awesome on every track. Killer player! Yep, there are ballads and I can get over that when the songs are this good.
Highlights (and there are a lot) include opener Runnin’ On Luck Again. This track is the perfect way to open an album with the right amount of crunch and a killer hook and chorus. No Way keeps that vibe a rollin’. And my favourite track, Too Much Is Never Enough with a killer metal main riff, and I guarantee you will be singing that chorus. Where Are You Know, which opens Side 2 is a big rock anthem with the obligatory massive hook and chorus and the pomp of We Run.
The icing on the cake of this record is the superb production by Neil Kernon who brings out the best in the band. If they came a few years earlier, they would have been huge.I know I say that all the time, but great records like this shouldn’t have just been ignored because of the time they were released.
9/10 from The Grooveman.
