A very strong comeback with a huge AOR sound
John | Greece | 02/24/2009
(4 out of 5 stars)
"The Place Vendome band was put together by Frontiers Records in 2005 and comprised of Dennis Ward (bass), Uwe Reitenauer (guitars), Kosta Zafiriou (drums) from Pink Cream 69, Gunter Werno (keyboards) from Vandenplas and Michael Kiske (ex-Helloween, Avantasia, etc) on vocals. Their self-titled debut album was a brilliant melodic rock / AOR release. When the follow up was confirmed in 2008 expectations were high.
While the musicians have remained the same; this time around the songs are provided by different songwriters. Torsti Spoof (Leverage), Ronny Milianowicz (Saint Deamon), Magnus Karlsson (Bob Catley, Starbreaker), Robert Sall (Work of Art) and Dennis Ward make up the songwriting team.
By looking at the list of people involved with this album you would expect a quality release oozing with variety...well this is exactly what you get! "Streets Of Fire" is an outstanding AOR offering, filled with quality songs and impressive musicianship. If compared to the first album "Streets Of Fire" is even more AOR, as the guitars are a little softer and the keyboards are slightly more evident than before. Nevertheless you get a good dosage of hard rock riffs and passages, Reitenauer's solos are mind-blowing, all the rhythm sections are tight and the blending of keyboards with guitars and vocals creates wonders.
As expected the songwriting offers great variety which is definitely one of the album's strong points. Torsti Spoof offers catchy hard rock influenced tracks, Ronny Milianowicz provides beautiful slow and mid-tempo AOR songs, Robert Sall brings an uplifting melodic soft-rock feel in his numbers while Magnus Karlsson and Dennis Ward do their usual best in their accustomed melodic rock setting.
Even though the music on the album is excellent and the songs are strong; Michael Kiske steals the spotlight once again. This man's voice sounds better on every new release! His vocals are multidimensional, sounding great in all the different musical settings of the album, plus stronger and more emotional than before. Kiske seems more at home on "Streets Of Fire" (he even offers a couple of his famous screams in some of the songs) and proves that he is just perfect for the AOR genre.
The strongest songs on offer are the title track, Set Me Free, Believer, Dancer, A Scene In Replay and My Guardian Angel. 'Streets Of Fire' is an amazing melodic hard rock track, with an unforgettable chorus, tempo changes, soaring vocals and an incredible guitar solo. 'Set Me Free' (Casting Crowns cover) is an atmospheric and slow melodic rocker, whose main drives are the keyboards/piano and Kiske's moody and deep vocals. 'Believer' and 'Dancer' both fall under the melodic rock category and feature melodic guitar riffs, first-rate solos and mainly high vocals. 'Believer' is a little happier and up-tempo, while 'Dancer' is a bit heavier and blessed with one of the album's best choruses. 'A Scene In Replay' is a beautiful mid-tempo AOR track. It includes one more memorable chorus, mesmerizing vocals (especially towards the end where Kiske goes for his higher range) and overflows with emotion. 'My Guardian Angel' is a melodic rock ballad written by Magnus Karlsson. It begins with a piano intro, takes off with melodic guitar leads, slows down for the melancholic verses and explodes during the chorus and the guitar solo.
The remaining tracks are quality offerings aswell. The ballad 'Completely Breathless' and the AOR flavored 'Changes' are other highlights, while the multi structured symphonic ballad 'I'd Die For You' and the energetic 'Follow Me' can't be faulted either. The only song that sounds like filler or doesn't really fit here is 'Valerie'.
In conclusion Streets Of Fire is a very strong melodic rock / AOR album with top-rate musicianship, accessible songs and enough hooks for everyone. When compared to the debut, the new release sounds superior and also flows better as a whole. The only elements I personally miss are some heavier ideas featured in previous songs such as 'Cross The Line' and 'Sign Of The Times'...
If you enjoyed the self titled album buy this now! If you are into melodic rock or AOR, definitely give this band a listen. Fans of Journey, Foreigner and Toto will probably love this too."
Excellent follow-up!
Michael | Australia | 05/22/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Another superb slice of melodic rock from what has to be one of the best groups ever. Intense tunes, excellent musicianship, perfect production, and powerful vocals all adds up to a great album worthy of purchase for any fan of this style of music. This CD has to be in the top 5 albums of the year regardless of what else is released by any other bands. Song highlights include the rocking second track "My Guardian Angel", the melodic bliss of "Valerie", and the intense arrangement of closing mega power-ballad "I'd Die For You". It's a great album from start to end and certainly lends itself to repeat listening. Enjoy!"
Track Listings (12) - Disc #1