Power of Metal.dk Review

Acacia Avenue
Cold
Rating
Style: Melodic Hard Rock /AOR
Release date: 27 June, 2014
Playing time: 44:35
 


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


Tracklist
01. Time (feat. Steve Newman)
02.
Love Will Survive (feat. Rob Moratti)
03.
It's Over (feat. Albin Ljungqvist)
04.
Out Of The Business (feat. Mikael Roupe)
05.
Signs Of Love (feat. Rob Moratti)
06.
Cold (feat. Torben Lysholm)
07.
Angelina (feat. Steve Newman)
08.
You And I (feat. Mikael Roupe)
09.
Calling Out (feat. Nicklas Sonne)
10.
How Many Nights (feat. Torben Lysholm)
11.
Freedom From Doubt (feat. Peter Sundell)
Label: AOR Heaven
Distribution: GerMusica
Artwork rating: 84/100
Reviewed by: Patrik J Skoglund
Date: 29 June, 2014
Website: www.torbenenevoldsen.com