Album review: MAGNUS KARLSSON’S FREE FALL – Kingdom Of Rock

Frontiers [Release date 06.11.15]

Primal Fear guitarist Magnus Karlsson returns with the second album under the Free Fall banner. Magnus handles all the instruments, bar the drums provided by Jamie Salazar and again, like the debut, he has some top name guest vocalists.

There has been much online debate of late about these project albums, which sometimes can be very run of the mill. However, this album works as the songs suit each vocalist down to the ground. Take the opening song and title track, the orchestral metal pomp is topped by the mighty vocals of Jorn Lande.

The song and its title were made for Jorn and this song recalls the excellent Allen/Lande debut album. The Poodles’ Jakob Samuel guests on ‘Out Of The Dark’, a cracking piece of melodic hard rock and Joe Lynn Turner suits the ultra-catchy melodic rock of ‘No Control’ down to the ground.

David Readman (Pink Cream 69/Voodoo Circle) sings up a storm on ‘Angel Of The Night’, whilst former Black Sabbath vocalist Tony Martin suits the brooding ‘When The Sky Falls’ down to the ground. The song features some great riffing from Magnus.

There are so many good tunes on this album, although one more worth highlighting is Harem Scarem’s Harry Hess on ‘A Heart So Cold’. It is like Harem Scarem colliding with the pomp metal of Kamelot, sterling stuff.

The debut Free Fall album was good, but this follow up blows it out of the water! Sure to appear on many people’s year end ‘best of’ lists due to the strong songs and vocal performances. ****1/2

Review by Jason Ritchie

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Power Plays w/c 9 December 2024

In this sequence we play ‘The Best of 2024′ GRTR! reviewer selections

Featured Albums w/c 9 December 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2024 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2024 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2024 (Singer Songwriter)