Frontiers [Release date: 10.03.23]
Here’s an interesting band. Demons Down combine the legacy Melodic Rock of House Of Lords (and others) … Jimi Bell, Ken Mary and Chuck Wright, with today’s rising stars in the shape of Chilean vocalist, James (Sinners Blood) Robledo, and singularly talented Italian guitarist and producer, Francesco (False Memories) Savino.
Inhouse impressario, Alessandro DelVecchio has developed into an imaginative arranger and producer. His confident hand on the studio tiller is very evident here, skilfully combining big canvas, cinematic styled anthems with soft rock ballads like ‘On My Way To You’ and ‘To The Edge’.
It’s those big, ambitious production numbers that grab your attention though.
‘I Stand’, ‘Disappear’ and ‘Down In A Hole’ are all cut from the same classical movie magic cloth. Each kicks off with DV’s wide screen keyboards, using the kind of orchestral forms favoured by populist composers like Vangelis and James Horner to set up the scene.
Then to merge and mix in the melody and harmony of AOR is quite a novel approach, with Bell’s axework, and Robledo’s vocals adding just enough grit to the mix.
That they never truly drill down into the muscle fibre of the genre, past or present, is incidental. Songs like ‘Where Will Our Tears Fall’, ‘Book Of Love’ and ‘Follow Me’ are more than passably good meat and two veg melodic hard rock, each pushing at the corners and the edges.
Frequently they hint that they might break out into something more daring, more imaginative, but ultimately they settle for what they know best, leaning hard into the tropes of times gone by.
‘Only The Brave’ closes the album in a perhaps more emphatic nod to the past … a chest beating, fist pumping stadium anthem. Things have changed, it’s saying, but this is how it used to be. ***1/2
Review by Brian McGowan
Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK
Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.
In 2023 he signed a recording deal with Sony in Canada and released a new single on 15 September.
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Power Plays w/c 29 April 2024
BRIGITTE PURDY Sugar Fried Candy (Dirtshack Records)
ATTIC THEORY The Legacy (indie)
THE HOWLERS I Need Your Love (indie)
VELVETEEN QUEEN Bad Reputation (indie)
WILLS AND THE WILLING Scuffed Knees (Smash & Grab Music Ltd)
READY THE PRINCE Still Believe (indie)
Featured Albums w/c 29 April 2024
09:00-12:00 PRAYING MANTIS Defiance (Frontiers)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003-2023
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