Fans of AOR band like Boston,
Journey, Toto and Survivor have to
sharpen their ears. Acacia Avenue
/ 'Torben Enevoldsen' has made a follow
up disc to the self titled debut album
from 2010; which featured voices
like Tony Mills (Ex-TNT, Shy), Geir
Rönning (Radioactive), Torben Lysholm
(Pangea, Mysterell) and Lars Säfsund
(Work Of Art) on vocals.
The vocal line-up on this new
album is another shining box of golden
throats, he has chosen this time. Torben
plays all instruments except drums on
the album and he has the proper touch
and has the right feeling for the
classy melodic hard rock sound in both
guitars, bass and the keyboards. He
sings on 'How Many Nights' and does it
quite well actually and maybe he should have
done all the vocal work by himself? But if you get some top-notch
vocalists thrown in as well, it really spices
everything up.
One of my favourite AOR singers;
Steve Newman opens 'Cold' with the
splendid song 'Time' and big thrilling
guitars from Torben. In next track 'Love
Will Survive', the Canadian "golden
voice" Rob Moratti (ex.Saga) is the singer
and this is a pure and clean AOR song with
smooth rhythms a classic melodic
rock tune. In 'It's Over', we have Albin
Ljungqvist handling the lead duties and it's also a
clinical AOR song with great melodies. A
beauty. The tempo increases in 'Out Of
The Business' and yhid is more of a hard rock
song with an raspy rock n roll voice
from Mikael Roupé. One of the best songs
on the album. Rob Moratti takes the
baton in the shining song 'Signs Of
Love'. I must give Torben credit that he
keeps his excellent guitars in the
background. No overwhelming solos or
screaming riffs. Very tasteful
production from this Danish
multi-instrumentalist. Just lay back and enjoy
the glittery and charming guitar loops
in 'Cold' with the nice vocals of Torben
Lysholm. Fancy and pleasurable guitar
work! Steve Newman lifts 'Angelina' to
one of my favourite songs and it is a
mid-tempo track with quite sharp
guitars. Nicklas Sonne is the singer on
the catchy song 'Calling Out', which is
one of the thinnest songs on the disc,
but instead it features one of the best guitar
parts on the entire album. Lysholm sings
on the semi-sensitive 'How Many Nights'
and it is a quite toothless melodic rock
tune actually, but has magnificent
guitar parts (again!). 'Cold' closes
with another vocalist Peter Sundell and 'Freedom
From Doubt' might be the
heaviest track on the album.
Superb production and I have to
give applause AOR Heaven for their
signing of Torben. A true melodic rock
professional artist.
I really like the blend of these
rock voices and Torben's insane guitar
playing and his melodies.
This is very adult AOR and classy hard
rock with big splashes of a shining
guitar talent.
Line-up:
Torben Enevoldsen - Guitars,
bass, keyboards, vocals
Rob Moratti - Vocals
Steve Newman - Vocals
Albin Ljungqvist - Vocals
Mikael Roupé - Vocals
Torben Lysholm - Vocals
Peter Sundell - Vocals
Nicklas Sonne - Vocals
Lars Frandsen-Melau - piano on "Cold"
Dennis Hansen - Drums
