Reviews: Crobot, Neonfly, Crowne, Brother Against Brother (Reviews By Matt Bladen)

Crobot - Rat Child EP (Mascot Records)

What is essentially some cutting room clippings from their previous album Motherbrain and new tracks, Rat Child EP is really all about the guest appearances than the stoner influence hard rocking of Crobot. Take Everyone Dies it features Steel Panther drummer Stixx Zadina on drums, bass and piano and was based on his piano instrumental Jimmy’s Piano Song, showing that behind the glam rock stupidness of Steel Panther they are talented musicians. Everyone Dies is a big ballad (and actually the best song here) but the rest of the EP is full of the ballsy hard rock. The title track is funky, classic Crobot, as is the Zep-alike Mountain which has Anthrax's Frank Bello, while Kiss It Goodbye is chunky, modern sounding riffer that has Howard Jones adding his melodic voice to the end of the track. It's a stopgap release yes but as the band say themselves it's the "sound you’re yearning for to getcha through". With the promise of new riffs to come, let the Rat Child in for continued good times. 7/10

Neonfly - The Future, Tonight (Noble Demon)

Neonfly have clearly embraced the future on this third album. A band that have previously been deep in the European power/prog metal spectrum, The Future, Tonight is less of a total change, but an addition of maturity to what Neonfly do. The riffs are somehow heavier, the lyrics are more socially conscience and there are huge grooves which you would expect from alternative metal. To me it sounds a lot like the more recent Evergrey record especially the first song This World Is Burning which is a defiant metal track wrapped in synths and huge orchestrations. 

Romesh Dodangoda of Long Wave Studios in Cardiff does a great job in the producer's chair making the albums more contemporary style really hit home. The more mid-paced offering and darker/emotional tone is a way to show off the versatility of vocalist Willy Norton, who is more than just an air-raid siren, adding depth to his performance for tracks like Flesh And Blood, he also works in unison with Björn Strid on the great title track. As for the instrumental contingent new drummer Declan (Dec) Brown adds pace and space behind the kit, giving it welly when needed but knowing when to hold back. Paul Miller's bass is intricate but also driving, especially on the grooving numbers like Beating Hearts or the poppy Another Eden which along with Steal The World features Heart Of Cowards Kaan Tasan for some gruff counterpoints. 

Lastly I just want to say about guitarist Fredrick Thunder who guides all the riffs here brilliantly, technical and accessible, he balances heavy metal with melody and adds lots of flourishes and confident but not overly flashy solos. The great performances on this record add to what is a shift in sound for Neonfly, mature, impassioned and driven, it's a bright future if this is basis of it. 8/10  

Crowne – Kings In The North (Frontiers Music Srl) 

Swedish. Melodic Rock. Supergroup. Yep another one, get out the wax cause this is going to be slick and glossed beyond belief. Comprised of vocalist Alexander Strandell (Art Nation), guitarist/keyboardist/producer Jona Tee (H.E.A.T.), bassist John Levén (Europe), drummer Christian Lundqvist (The Poodles). Kings In The North is their debut record of poppy, anthemic, Eurovision-worthy melodic rock. What immediately drew me to this record is that the song writing here is of a really high level the title track and Unbreakable being two examples of how to do melodic rock brilliantly. Driven by probably two of the most experienced names in Swedish rock music, the rhythm section of John Levén and Christian Lundqvist, pops, with a huge bounce to it getting the head nodding along with tracks like Mad World. 

They are a hefty backbone to build on luckily Jona Tee’s powerful, keyboards and synths are the ideal melodic foil, bolstered by his noted production skills, plus the orchestrations on torch blazer Set Me Free. He plays all the guitars on this record as well though the solo fireworks are ignited by Dynazty’s Love Magnusson, not that it matters much as the solos are the icing on this often saccharine cake. The kind that can only be enjoyed sparingly but one that certainly satisfies. Kings In The North will certainly satisfy any fans of Scandi Melodic Rock, as well as anyone that was brought up with bands such as Europe, Boston and Journey, the latter due to Alexander Strandell’s excellent vocals! Heavy enough for rockers, but with enough AOR melodies for radio and those of a lighter listening disposition. Crowne are a supergroup in the truest sense of the word! 8/10

Brother Against Brother - Brother Against Brother (Frontiers Music Srl)

When you have a winning formula signed to your label, you will try to recreate that magic wherever you can. I am of course talking about the Allen/Lande project, where every entry was a masterclass in top flight hard rock/melodic metal featuring one of the genre's best voices. The final Allen/Lande came in 2014 and since then Allen has done a duet record Annette Olzon but nothing has really recaptured the high flying power of The Battle or The Revenge. So what to do if you're a label, find two of your two current vocal powerhouses (both of whom sound like Jorn and Russell), and pair them with a go-to writing team that includes Alessandro Del Vecchio (bass/keys). 

Both from Brazil, Renan Zonta (Electric Mob) and Nando Fernandes (Sinistra) are great singers and play well off each other. Fernandes the seasoned vet and Zonta the young upstart and as you'd expect songs such as Deadly Sins, the anthemic Two Brothers, the poppy What If and the dramatic Demons In My Life all rich with slick rock rhythms and plenty of synths/orchestrations. There's also the usual Christian imagery that Del Vecchio adds to all of his music, but for AOR/Melodic Metal fans Brother Against Brother could be the first entry into a series that may live up to those Allen/Lande records. For me though it's a good effort but nothing world beating. 6/10