OXYGEN – Final Warning

Escape Music 2012

This is the band’s debut album, although vocalist Tony Niva has previous musical history with Niva and Lion’s Share amongst others. They play unashamed 80′s flavoured Scandi melodic rock/AOR and it is one to be played loud.

Vocally Tony Niva has the high pitched vocals like Rob Moratti (Saga/Final Frontier) and Mikael Erlandsson (Last Autumn’s Dream), which can put some off but that’s their loss. It is very cheesy at times, none more so than opener ‘Janitor Of Love’, but the harmonies and guitar riffs leave a great big grin on your face. ‘Anything For You’ and ‘Best Days Of Our Lives’ just ooze positive vibes and have choruses many bands would love to pen. The only time the band dip is surprisingly on the ballads which are fine but lack a certain sparkle.

For those like me who have been disappointed by the latest Wig Wam album this is a perfect pick-me-up. Roll on album number two…

****

Jason Ritchie

Oxygen is a Swedish outfit producing melodic rock with an 80’s tinge to it. While vocalist Tony Niva has been on the scene for a while and released a number of albums under different guises, this is Oxygen’s debut release.

The album is strong melodically and the 80’s upbeat feel comes through with good production. Niva has quite a range and delivers his vocals powerfully, albeit predominantly in the higher range. While he does it well, it does get a bit much after a while. The other downside to this release is that it clocks in at a mere 33 minutes, while will fall short of any music fan’s expectations.

Don’t toss this release aside, though. While it does have a flaw or two, it’s still an enjoyable listen.

***1/2

Nick van der Meulen

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

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Power Plays w/c 28 October 2024

THE RASMUS Rest In Pieces (Better Noise Music)
THE PLAGUE What Else Can I Do (FiXT)
STAR CIRCUS Turn The Tide (indie)
DEFENCES Breathe It In (Long Branch Records)

Featured Albums w/c 28 October 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Singer Songwriter)