Released by: UFO Records
Release Date: Out Now!!!
Genre: Melodic Hard Rock
Links: http://www.killerbee.se/
Line Up:
Brian “Bee” Frank – Vocals
Anders “LA” Rönnblom – Bass
Morgan Evans – Drums
Mats Bystrom – Keyboard
P-O Sedin – Rhythm guitar
Rolf “Trazan” Nordstrom – Lead Guitar
Tracklist:
1. Sacrifice
2. Free Rides
3. Why
4. Can’t Bring It Down
5. Rough Girl
6. Hey Hey
7. Take Me Home
8. Stringray
9. Down The Road
10. The Welcoming
11. Everything Everytime
12. Dream Of Light
13. Wrong Or Right
14. Word To The Wise
15. Goodbye
One of those rare bands that have managed to keep going strong despite not being worldwide famous, is Killer Bee. What an underrated band, half Sweden and half Canadian. Good things labels are trying to pick up these bands now and resurrect they’re dormant status, hell is been a long time since we heard from these rockers, but fear no more they are back in a big way!!!.
The partnership began between “L.A Rönnblom” (Sweden) and “Bee” Frank (Canada) back in 1990 have resurfaced again in 2011 with a new album. Even though the group never blew up in Sweden that much, but rather around Europe in general they did garner attention and now the record label UFO Records is releasing the band’s compilation back catalog to fully give the listeners a chance to catch up with a vastly underrated band.
The group is tight on the attack as well preparing new material for an all out new album due out in 2012. If you never heard these guys, I can simply explain they’re music as Hard Rock shooting glances straight out of the 80’s, mixed with some catchy Melodic Hard Rock vibes. On this particular release “Almost There” you will hear some killer cuts that freshly give the band the image they proclaim to be during the early 90’s.
Up to this point the group released three albums, and five singles. “The group had several songs that made it to the radio station’s playlists around Europe, such as “Take Me Home” that made it to No.1 for four weeks in Norway. Interest in the band grew and they also played at some of the biggest festivals in Europe with artists such as Oasis, REM, Elton John, Rod Stewart, Peter Frampton, Page and Plant and Mega Death”.
And now 15 years later they return to the scene with plenty to prove once more. Some of the bands biggest hits are all here, especially songs like the smashing rocker tune “Why” and the melodic entwine anthem of “Can’t Bring Me Down”. A personal favorite of mine is the outstanding power ballad “Take Me Home”, which shows the band portraying a message in they’re music as well as musically expressing a heavy hitting power ballad very predominant in those times. Another scorcher comes crawling by via the sonic boom stop and go rhythm courtesy of “Stingray”.
The songs all shine with that 80’s appeal, It is hard not to reminiscence on the vocals of Bee Frank to those popular 80’s bands like Motley Crue, Guns & Roses, LA Guns etc. It’s just takes back to that frame in time where it was timeless. There’s even material here for the die hard fans who remember the band when they started out under the moniker of Desert Rain, very cool. This CD plays itself like a greatest hits compilation so for any fans of the band or just hard rockers who may not be familiar with their past albums, please check this record out as you will be surprise at the quality of music here, from top to bottom. Pretty good re-mastered and well produced. All this building anticipation for the new album for the guys set to come out in the spring next year. I am smelling comeback album of the year? Bring it I approved this with a shiny Hard Rock seal!!!!! yeah.
Written by Denys
Ratings Denys 8/10