Frontiers [Release date : 11.10.24]
There’s a lot to love about Fans Of The Dark’s third album, Video.
Their last album, Suburbia, was a nostalgic look at the life we led in the eighties – primarily teen culture, home entertainment and the rise of hard rock, as curated by US FM radio.
This new album moves in closer, spotlighting what now seems, in the era of streaming, a cumbersome way of watching movies, VHS Video.
The band, Freddie Allen, ex Houston; Alex Falk; Oscar Bromval and Rickard Gramfors are totally bought into this narrative, third in a series.
On Video, when there aren’t a lot of pastime choices, the underlying message is that you work the ones you’ve got, spending time with friends, relishing the moments, making memories.
Something of a cliché perhaps, but the album’s nicely crafted twin openers set the band’s stall out with a flourish. ‘Meet Me On The Corner’s big bouncy beat, brightly coloured riffs are rooted in Scandi melodic rock.
‘Let’s Go Rent A Video’, a lighter waving slice of anthemic AOR, leads us into “a pinker, fluffier world” (according to Freddie Allen).
In fact much of the album trades in eighties soft rock currency. Keyboards punch out thrills and frills, big guitars boom and Falk emotes splendidly.
Of the 11 songs, two songs in particular share the impact of those those openers, but are entirely different in style.
‘The Bay Of Blood’ is a compelling, hard edged melodic rock song, dramatic in the extreme. At first it gives the impression it’s based on the Mario Bava movie, but the lyrics don’t quite add up.
Still, it’s a refreshing change from bands who cling to the cliches of yesterday’s music.
The largely instrumental ‘Tomorrow Is Another Day’ is massive. A tribute to the moody electronic music that Cliff Martinez created for the “Drive” movie, with added whispering, and a few guitars.
Essentially, Video is a melodic/soft rock album, but those latter two tracks are as artistically compelling as anything you’ll find on Frontiers. ****
Review by Brian McGowan
Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK
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Power Plays w/c 21 April 2025
THE DEVIL WEARS NADA Late Night Talking (Eonian Records)
DROWNING POOL Madness (SBG Records)
PARKER BARROW Make It (indie)
REDIKIN Nailed It (Wormholedeath)
PENNY FOUNTAIN Euphoria (indie)
CRY FOR MERCY Saving Grace (indie)
VIGILANTES Life In The Fast Brain (indie)
Featured Albums w/c 21 April 2025
09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003 – 2024 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003 – 2024 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003 – 2024 (Singer Songwriter)
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