Power of Metal.dk Review

State of Salazar
All the Way
Rating
Style: Melodic Rock / AOR
Release date: 22 August , 2014
Playing time: 47:15
 


All death or black metal fans can stop reading right now! State of Salazar is strongly influenced by bands like Toto, Queen, Journey, Survivor, REO Speedwagon and Chicago. Very melodic rock with a bright, clear and positive sound picture. The majority of the songs are in the softer Westcoast/AOR genre with big choruses and tidy musical craftsmanship and are backed up by a fancy, solid rhythm section.

Their EP 'Lost My Way' came in 2012 with seven promising melodies and with intense anticipation I been longing for this debut full length album. The former Malmö Academy of Music students are aiming high and they seems to hit their targets all the time. All the tracks are extremely well written and are like an pile of high carat jewelry. My high expectations are fulfilled and more than that....

This is one of the best AOR album this year!! Swedish melodic rock bands are driving this genre forward and
State of Salazar together with Work of Art, Eclipse, WET, Degreed and Houston are standing in the frontline of the Scandi melodic rock genre. State of Salazar has a contagious joyful sound, which they deliver through my speakers. Marcus Nygren has a very beautiful and well-trained voice and could easily qualify for a stand-in for Joseph Williams in Toto. He handles the powerful vocal parts like the powerhouse Bobby Kimball in Toto in the 80's and the gentler, slower parts like John Wetton in Asia. A complete and very nice voice. Mr. Thuresson plays the guitar riffs and his fabulous hooks like a cumulus cloud in the sky. Very airy and catchy string performance. I can't pick any specific song to my favourite list, because all the twelve tracks would be on that list. It depends on, which mood I'm in. It changes from day to day. And the best is that this an album that grows and grows each time I listen to it.

'All the Way' is a very strong candidate for my AOR-album of the year price. It will definitely qualify for my 'Best of 2014' list in December.

A must purchase album for all melodic fans out there. My thumbs are up!

Line up:
Marcus Nygren - Vocals
Johan Thuresson - Guitar
Stefan Mårtenson - Keyboard
Johannes Hansson - Bass
Kristian Brun - Drums


Tracklist
01. I Believe In You
02.
Field of Dreams
03.
All the Way
04.
Love of My Life
05.
Eat Your Heart Out
06.
Time to Say Goodbye
07.
Marie
08.
Let Me Love
09.
Catastrophe
10.
Always
11.
Adrian
12. End of Time
Label: Frontiers Records
Distribution: Target (Denmark)
Artwork rating: 82/100
Reviewed by: Patrik J Skoglund
Date: 18 August, 2014
Website: www.facebook.com/stateofsalazar