Album review: ATLANTIS DRIVE – Atlantis Drive

Pride & Joy Music [Release date 14.06.24]

Composer and guitarist Markus Pfeffer (Barnabas Sky, Lazarus Dream) is the mastermind behind Atlantis Drive. As Markus explains – “I had a very clear goal with this album: To take up the sound of the keyboard-orientated melodic hard rock of the eighties with a slightly nostalgic glamour and transport it into the modern era. To achieve this, a keyboard player had to be found. I quickly found the perfect congenial partner in Jorris Guilbaud (Heart Line, Devoid) and he came up with some really impressive synth arrangements, sounds and melodies that have never been heard on any of my albums before and are more than impressive.”

Joining the duo are drummer Markus Kullmann (Glenn Hughes, Voodoo Circle) and vocalist Mark Boals (Yngwie Malmsteen, Shining Black, Royal Hunt, Iron Mask). Boals will certainly be a surprise choice given his past in many a fine power & prog metal band. However, he fits the music like a glove, wrote most of the lyrics and hopefully we will see another album from Atlantis Drive with him at the mic stand.

Plenty of catchy melodic rock to be heard on here, from the keystastic ‘Faith’ through to ‘Living For The Moment’, where you can imagine Mark Boals having a great time singing this one.

‘Way Back When’ is the album’s stand out. Again it touches on a popular lyrically theme in rock music, looking back to growing up. The synths on this one are on another level! Add in guitar crunch and an instant chorus and we have a winner!

The album ends on a subdued note lyrically, with the ballad ‘Farewell To A Friend’, covering the loss of a loved one. Then the album ends on the eight minutes of ‘Heroes’, a song that pays tribute to musical heroes that have passed (a lyrical theme that seems to be used more and more as time goes on). Plenty of musical heft to this one.

Atlantis Drive wanted to bring back the glory days of 80′s melodic rock with a modern edge and they have done just that. Great fun to listen to and lets hope there is enough interest to get a second album from them. ***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)