Released by: Escape Music
Release Date: April 22nd, 2011
Genre: Hard Rock
Links: http://www.overland-shadowman.com/shadowman_home.htm
Line Up:
Steve Overland (FM) – Lead Vocals
Steve Morris (Heartland) – Guitars & Keyboards
Chris Childs (Thunder) – Bass
Harry James (Thunder) – Drums
Tracklist:
1 – Across The Universe
2 – Renegades
3 – Cry
4 – Watching Over You
5 – Are You Ready
6 – Suzanne
7 – Waiting For A Miracle
8 – Stop Breaking This Heart Of Mine
9 – Heaven Waits
10 – Whatever It Takes
11 – Justify
12 – The Party Is Over
Not only was I looking forward to getting my hands on the new Shadowman album, but also to hear some new material with the great Steve Overland on vocals. For anybody that knows my taste in music knows I’m a huge melodic rock lover and really treasured the FM catalog with Steve on vocals. You think is a one band project but if thanks in part to the great guitar playing of Heartland’s Steve Morries and Childs and James both members of Thunder, you have a stout line up that needs no help to produce some quality material. Is no secret I have loved every one of the past three Shadowman records and was ecstatic to dig into the new one.
Having heard and owned all the bands previous records before, I was again privilege to hear the unique voice of Steve Overland, not does the man have a staple sound in his vocals pipes, but because his successful solo career and past albums with Fm, including a great comeback record by the band last year, there is no mistake he’s been on fire the last few years when it comes to releasing music.
Is natural for a band to progress as releases keep coming out and with this new Shadowman you hear an amplification of the band where they successfully left off on their last amazing record “Ghost In The Mirror”. We hear a quick pace opener in “Renegades” featuring the groups hard rock roots at it’s organic best, fast pace and shifty, kinda like some late 80’s Fm material. Overland has always shined on slower ballads in my opinion and on this laid back rocker “Cry” inches forward with a nice guitar arrangement by Morris. One of the shining moments of yet another superb release by Shadowman, is the more British AOR atmosphere of “Are You Ready” which features Overland carrying some high notes with an addicting chorus line. As far as fillers you may have one in “Heaven Waits with an unexplained repeating chorus bridge. What in the world?
The impeccable voice of Steve keeps on rampaging through the afterglow, the faster pace mid rocker of “Suzanne” crunches forward with some nice keyboard arrangements in the halfway point by Steve Morris. Some bands struggle to capture a sound,but Shadowman sounds like they were meant to play this type of music. The songwriting is more mature and expressive then previous albums and all musicians sound great. This is what good bands do sure they take their time in composing their music, but with good reason……..is pretty darn impressive when it comes out. All members shine and sound as tight as their last record with a stronger focus on melody and songwriting from the past. Yes there is a new Overland solo record on the horizon, long live The Voice…….a smart buy for all Hard Rock fans out there!!!
Written by Denys
Ratings Denys 8/10
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