Released by: Melodicrock Records
Release Date: Out Now!!!
Genre: Melodic Hard Rock
Links: http://www.alliknow.be/
Line Up:
Ward D. – vocals/guitars
Michael N. – guitars/vocals
Amély M. – bass
Sam B. – drums
Tracklist:
1. All Night Long
2. Bad Boy
3. Asphyxia
4. Rain (Beau Hill 2010 Remix)
5. Turn Back Time (New 2010 Track)
6. I Need You
7. Into Your Heart
8. I Wanna Rock You
9. Sweet 17
10. Teenage Queen
11. All The Way (New 2010 Track)
12. Hope And Dreams
Well, well, well… now here we have something really special, believe me! The Lowlands are not known for delivering sensational AOR and Melodic Rockbands very frequently. Of course The Netherlands has had it’s fair share of quality acts in this genre in the past, but the past few years it has been very quiet and AOR bands are almost impossible to find over here.
When it comes down to Belgium the situation is even worse, because only a few good bands were active over there in the past and then I am thinking of some obscure bands like K. WEST in the 1980s, KATE’S DESIRE in the 1990s and that’s about it I am afraid (please forgive me if I’m forgetting someone here!). Then from out of nowhere 3 young guys from Belgium deliver a CD that is simply said a definite hit for anyone into classic 80s AOR/Melodic Rock. So there are miracles possible, even in the year 2011!
ALL I KNOW is a 3-piece band and the fact that all of them were probably not even born when the 1980s gave us all the Classic AOR/Melodic Rock we still treasure so much, that makes it even more interesting, because the music is at the same level as all those US/Canadian bands did 20-25 years ago! The band mixes classic melodic vocals/harmonyvocals, hooks and choruses of the AOR genre (think of DAKOTA, REO SPEEDWAGON, NIGHT RANGER and NELSON) with a slightly more guitar orientated uptempo Melodic Hard Rock approach of bands like DEF LEPPARD, WHITE LION and FIREHOUSE. The result is quite stunning and can be heard on the band’s debut CD ‘Vanity kills’ that contains 12 superbly produced tunes.
The record has been released on MELODIC ROCK RECORDS, the label of ANDREW MCNEICE, who is of course also the person behind www.melodicrock.com It’s incredible to see that not a single weak track can be found here and ALL I KNOW definitely deserves to be called the best newcomer of 2010, because I have not heard so many great hooks and choruses on 1 single record lately. Most of the tracks are uptempo, of which the finest are opener “All night long” (like a rockier 38 SPECIAL, late 70s DAKOTA (especially vocally) and most of all NIGHT RANGER), “Turn back time” (this one is hitting like a hammer, an incredible uptempo AOR rocker with a superb chorus reminding of classic NIGHT RANGER all the way, belonging to the best songs of 2010!!!
Definitely the absolute highlight on this CD!), the BEAU HILL mixed “Rain”, “I need you” (classic DEF LEPPARD and a WHITE LION touch going on here, a fun Partyrocker that also sounds a lot like RICK MATHEWS’ if anyone remembers him of course!) and the triple-set “Teenage queen”, “All the way” and “Sweet 17”. The band also throws in a ballad called “Asphyxia”, which is a really beautiful AOR ballad and here we definitely hear strong comparisons to the legendary REO SPEEDWAGON and NIGHT RANGER ballads. The lead vocals by guitarist/vocalist WARD D. are quite good and he also is an excellent guitarist, as we can hear some nice solo’s here and there. Besides that, also the harmonyvocals are really good and give the songs an extra catchy dimension.
I am not sure if I am allowed to already put this ALL I KNOW in the same league as for example NELSON’s ‘After the rain’, the 1980s NIGHT RANGER records or even the first HAREM SCAREM, but here and there we can definitely hear some amazing material that reminds of a cross between these records for sure.The sound is very 1980s American orientated, done by 2 young guys (vocalist/guitarist and drummer) and 1 young girl (bassist) from Belgium and that fact alone should be reason enough for fans of this genre to check them out asap, but on the other hand songs like “Asphyxia”, “Turn back time” and “I need you” could easily be played on national radio here just as well.
Written by Gabor
Ratings Gabor 9/10
About Author
