All Black/Death metal fans can
stop read now!! This is only for the
readers who loves melodic rock. The
Norwegian female rock goddess Issa
(Isabell) Oversveen is back with her
fourth solo album 'Crossfire'. She
continues to deliver melodically hard rock
songs in the same genre as Heart and
Robin Beck blended with some brush
strokes of Roxette. This is probably her
strongest album so far, because the
tracks are stronger than on the previous
albums and I feel that these songs fits
her pitch vocals perfectly. The two
ballad tracks on the album are some of
the most charming low tempo songs I've
heard this year (so far)."
The title track opens the list
and 'Crossfire' is a up-tempo song which
feels to only be in the comfort zone.
Nothing special in my ears, just a
straight forward rock tune with a nice
guitar solo. I find 'New Horizon'
much more interesting. Heavier drums and
stronger vocals from Issa. One of the
top tracks actually. 'Raintown' together
with the mega voice Steve Overland is
clearly the biggest tune on 'Crossfire'.
As a fan of the mighty Steve Overland it
was a positive surprise to find him on
an album together with Issa. A future
full-length disc production may be
an idea, because this
sounds really good!! Their voices
complement each other absolutely amazingly and
their honeyed voices blend together into a fantastic
melodic rock ballad.
Another stunning track is 'Long
Time Coming' with sensational singing
from the Norwegian vocalist. Strong
melodies baked in a flawless production.
'Fight Fire With Rain' is a half-tempo
song with strokes of 'Heart'. Issa doesn't sing
in the Doro metal heaviness tone, no it's a quite
girlish tone level in her voice, but I like it when
the songs is written for her. Fits like a hand
in the glove. The catchy song 'Electric
Lights' is on of the best songs on the
disc with some fine keyboards and if I
have to pick some another tracks on the
album, which rises above the rest it has
to be 'Ghost Inside My Heart' and 'We
Rise'.
If you like melodic hard rock
and female fronted hard rock in
particularly, you have to check this
album out. It's worth it!
Produced by John Greatwood and
James Martin
Issa - Vocals
James Martin – Keyboards
Tom Martin - Bass and Guitars
Michael Cruise – Drums
Steve Overland – Duet on Raintown.
Other guest musicians; Daniel Palmqvist
(XORIGIN), Alessandro Del Vecchio
(HARDLINE), Steve Newman (NEWMAN),
Robert Sall (WORK OF ART), Daniel
Johansson (DEGREED), Stephen Chesney.
