Album review : DEGREED – Curtain Calls

April 28th, 2026 by brianmc

Frontiers [Release date 24.04.26]

Eighth full length album from respected Swedish Hard Rock band, Degreed…Robin Eriksson, Mats Eriksson, Mikael Blanc and Daniel Johansson.

Their sound is impossible to categorise. Is it toughened up AOR, melodic hard rock, metallised hard rock ? Or what?
And that’s a problem only because most critics like to put bands into pigeonholes. It makes writing a review easier.

We got captured by the “exciting urban rock” (we’ll call it that) on the band’s The Leftovers’ EP, released last year.
And now the hooks on Curtain Calls dig just as deep.

Produced with an impressive sonic feel by the band’s drummer, Mats Eriksson, in his Boombridge Studio, Kopparberg, Curtain Calls runs the gauntlet between all those musical definitions.

This band is like a battle hardened boxer, fast on his feet, confident in his ability to deliver toughened up, melodic and muscular hard rock. Punching his weight, no wasted energy, no pointless moves.

There’s AOR in there, struggling to breathe at times, breaking the surface in the right moments, and sharp edged contemporary rock, noisy, rumbling but carefully calibrated.

Curtain Calls differentiates itself from others by combining the two, occasionally taking a risk, throwing big, adventurous swings that always land.

Like openers, ‘One Helluva Ride’ and ‘Holding On To Yesterday’, both taking off down the highway to hell, with bass heavy rhythms and high octane riffing fuelling a firing-on-all-six vocal.

But even the songs that break the self imposed rules impress.

Teaser track ‘Believe’, and ‘Matter Of The Heart’ veer off tangentially, going deep into the AOR zone.
Fittingly, ‘Guiding Light’ walks the middle ground like it belongs there, and ‘Broken Dreams’ follows a compelling symphonic rock path.

Two splendid slabs of pumping melodic hard rock, ‘My Blood’ and ‘Curtain Calls’ both arrive at the point where the Scandi melodic rock world embraces Canada’s Harem Scarem.

Odd man out, ‘The Rambler’ meets none of the definitions, building on a repetitive, acoustic guitar hook to make its mark.
Cranked up electric guitars add considerable rock drama, with lyrical nods to Kansas and Led Zeppelin leading to an epic climax, lyrically and musically.

All that said, ‘The Rambler’ aside, none of these songs is an instant classic.
Curtain Calls takes its time to insinuate its way inside.

And eventually, it does. ****

Review by Brian McGowan

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions,

Check out videos here: https://www.facebook.com/getreadytorockradio

David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast 19 April 2026.

UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). First broadcast on 14 April 2026

How to Listen Live?

Click the programming image at the top of the page (top right of page if using desktop)

Get Ready to ROCK! Radio is also in iTunes under Internet Radio/Classic Rock
Listen in via the Tunein app and search for “Get Ready to ROCK!” and save as favourite.

More information and links at our radio website where you can listen live or listen again to shows via the presenter pages: getreadytorockradio.com

Power Plays w/c 27 April 2026

SELF-DECEPTION Don’t Belong (Napalm Records)
THE DEVIL WEARS NADA Elephant In The Room (Eonian Records)
blacktoothed Monsters (Arising Empire)
BANKS ARCADE Severance (Arising Empire)
SULLY ERNA & BILLY MORRISON Becoming (TLG/Zoid)
SWEET GORILLA Give Them What They Want (5000 Records)

Featured Albums w/c 27 April 2026

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003 – 2025 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003 – 2025 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003 – 2025 (Singer Songwriter)

Our occasional Newsletter signposts latest additions to the website(s). We also include a selection of recent top albums, based on GRTR! reviewer ratings. The newsletter is sent out a few times a year.

If you’d like to register to receive this occasional mailing please complete the form:

If using a smartphone/tablet please tap here or re-orientate your device

(Note that this registration is separate from site registration which allows you to leave comments and receive daily emails about new content. If you wish to register for this – in addition or separately – please click or tap here – for more information – the form is at the foot of each page. Please read our privacy policy when opting-in to receive emails.