There’s been a bit of a rebuttal from
Serafino Perugino, owner of Frontiers Records very recently in the world of Facebook.
He wrote an interesting personal note to the fans who are knocking the
Frontiers ‘projects’ that will never see the light of day in a live setting – I
strongly suggest you read it, as it’s a passionate plea to fans about his work,
and most importantly, he does this because he is a fan.
I admit myself that I have been guilty of
stating that some of these projects are a whim, but lets face it, if it were
not for Serafino, the melodic rock genre would definitely be a poorer place in
which we live. It costs a lot of money to bring people from all over the world
to play for us. The recording costs are fairly low, but getting it altogether
in a studio or a live setting is probably a logistical nightmare. If one person
is capable then its Perugino. Especially as he has his labels own festival that
could make it happen?
The melodic rock genre is probably in the
best place its been in years, but lets not get carried away here, its still
very much a minority spectator sport. When compared to RnB for example, Heavy
Metal is a minority. So where the fuck does that place melodic rock /AOR music
in the scale of things?
So thank you SP for your sterling work.
The above sets me up as Magnus Karlsson’s
Free Fall is the exact ‘project/supergroup’ type band that’s been in the news
this week. In my eyes, if you’re going to go for it, do it with style, and in
this instance the vocalists involved here are some of the communities finest – jus
look at the assembled cast – Jorn Lande, Jakob Samuel, Joe Lynn Turner. JLT
will turn up for the opening of a crisp packet for the right money, but ITS
STILL JOE LYNN TURNER FFS! Also there’s Tony Martin, Tony Harnell, David
Readman, Rick Altzi and Harry Hess. That’s quite a stellar cast of singers I’m
sure you will agree. Backing up the
accomplished pack is Karlsson himself on 2 songs, and Rebecca De La
Motte, so Im sure you will agree, its quite a collection (a ‘warble’ of singers
perhaps?)
Consider Karlsson an artist, rather than
artiste. He uses singers like an artist would choose colours. The right singer
is picked for the right song. Opener and title track Kingdom Of Rock is pure Power
Metal, with Norwegian JornLande channeling his inner Dio and is akin to his
Allen-Lande music. One of my recent and newly acquired singers (well, new to
me!) Jacob Samuel certainly delivers the goods on ‘Out Of The Dark’. Both JLT (No
Control) and Hess (A Heart So Cold) get the more relaxed and straight down the
middle melodic rock songs to cover. Turners vocals are aging very well I have
to say. Tony Martin’s vocal chords get a good ‘ol airing on the epic and huge
sounding ‘When The Sky Falls’ and is the standout track on the whole shebang.
PC69s David Readman (Angel Of The Night) and Masterplan’s Rick Altzi (Another
Life) are responsible for ‘KoRs’ more
powerful and pulsating Power Metal songs. Tony Harnell’s voice as hardly
changed in over 30 years and add his unmistakable tone to the ultra catchy
‘Never Look Away’.
Props to Karlsson for gathering such a
cracking troupe to perform his songs, but the main plaudit must go to Magnus
Karlsson himself, as its HIS songs, HIS, production, and HIS playing that knits
the whole concert together like the strongest of glues. It’s a testament that Karlsson holds his own
when singing on ‘I Am Coming For You’ and ‘Walk This Road Alone’. That speaks
strongly of the guy considering the company he keeps.
If you like your metal enthralling,
pulsating, powerful and melodic at the same time then look no further than
‘Kingdom Of Rock’
The last word goes to Karlsson himself….Magnus Karlsson says, “When I made the
first Free Fall album I had a wish list of my favorite singers. The list just
got longer and longer and I realized that one album just wasn’t enough. I knew
that some of the names on the list would be almost impossible to get but hey
it’s ok to dream right? I started to work harder than ever before on new songs
specially written for each singer. Well sometimes dreams come true and now some
of the greatest singers in the world joined the dream team. This is not about
having big names on the album, this is simply about making the best music I
possibly can for the best singers I know!” Do you know what, he is spot on!
Score 85/100
Tracklisting…
Kingdom Of Rock (Jorn
Lande)
Out Of The Dark
(Jacob Samuel)
No Control (Joe Lynn
Turner)
When The Sky Falls
(Tony Martin)
Angel Of The Night
(David Readman)
I Am Coming For You
(Magnus Karlsson)
Another Life (Rick Altzi)
Never Look Away (Tony Harnell)
A Heart So Cold (Harry Hess)
The Right Moment (Rebecca De La Motte)
Walki This Road Alone (Magnus Karlsson)
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