Releases by: AOR Heaven
Release date: 02 January 2016
Genre: Melodic/AOR
Links: Facebook.com , grandslamsweden.com
Lineup:
Andy Sinner – Lead Vocals
Andreas Gullstrand – Guitar
Andy Swaniz – Drums
Henrik Hansson – Bass
Daniel Gronberg Svensson – Keyboards
Track Listing:
01. Light Up The Sky
02. Rock My World
03. Face
04. One Way To Heaven
05. Don’t Leave
06. Get High
07. Take Me Higher
08. Waiting For Tomorrow
09. I Wanna Live
10. Don’t Mess With Me
Drummer, Andy Swaniz in 2007 founded Grand Slam. Andy Swaniz then was previously a member of the band Quadruple. By forming the band, Andy’s aim was to target a wider audience exposing them to the band’s own interpretation of the melodic rock style. They entered the worldwide contest and made it to the Swedish regional finals. After the competition, the band continued to play live gigs during the summer and autumn of 2013 gathering a strong fan base around them. In 2014, Grand Slam joined Erik Wiss at the Peekroom Studios, and the result was the three songed EP – “Waiting For Tomorrow”. The EP, after its release received considerable attention worldwide. For their latest offering ”A New Dawn” is the band’s debut full-length album. Once again they have joined forces with Erik Wiss.
Track 1: “Light Up The Sky”. It is a slow intro with keys and piano. Then suddenly, with a scream the track bursts into life with some great chops and licks. This is a real upbeat catchy track, which is sure to be a real AOR winner.
Track 2: “Rock My World”. The track kicks off with a great mini solo, which leads the track into a mini stadium rocker. It features awesome licks with some smooth and melodic vocals that help us to rock along to quite a good little solo. The air guitar enthusiasts will be stomping around their homes with fists pumping while doing grand mastery tricks on the air guitars, screaming ‘Rock My World’.
Track 3: “Face”. It really shows how powerful but yet a melodic singer ‘Andy Sinner’ is. This track is another great rocker. It features swaying keys, thumping bass and thundering drums. There are power chords a-plenty, which are all held together by the scorching vocals.
Track 4: “One Way To Heaven”. It has magical keys which give way to a screech and scream as Andy powers us into another all out anthem rocker. The track features, again, thumping bass and the ever-present keyboards. There is a great solo midway through which leads us on a path straight onto Melodic Heaven.
Track 5: “Don’t Leave”. There are some dirty guitars and thumping drums. This soon gives way to some more mellow melodic vocals. They, the vocals, in turn blasts into melodic hyperspace and back down again. Leading us into a solo which blast us into space, then as we ascend to the climax, we begin our journey by crashing back to earth.
Track 6: “Get High”. The drums and thumping guitars are wailing in unison. We soon realize that we are headed towards a melodic meltdown. You will soon be scrambling to reach the air guitars again. Before long we start screaming our lungs out with the phrase: “Get High with devil horns a raised”. With feet stomping we are banging our heads to this mighty anthem of a track.
Track 7: “Take Me Higher”. This track feels a bit bluesy with the subtler guitar intro. But this does not last long. Soon the subtle guitars make way for the keys and drums with the bass thudding along. All while being kept together with some more great vocals. A great little solo sends us reaching for the jack to dampen the flames as we scream ‘I’m On Fire, Fire’.
Track 8: “Waiting For Tomorrow”. This is another great anthem with a catchy chorus, keys and riffs a plenty. All sandwiched around a thumping bass line which makes a short but sweet solo midway. Another solid track.
Track 9: “I Wanna Live”. This is an upbeat ballad, with lyrics such as: ‘I Wanna Live With You By My Side, I’m gonna Live With You Till The Day I Die”. This track features some melodic drums, bass with guitars, and keys thrown in for good pleasure. It also features a short, but sweet guitar solo. This track has it all.
Track 10: “Dont Mess With Me”. This track has a bass groove that allows us to go sliding into the closing track. Thudding drums and groovacious bass line with an added solo, rocking us to the end.
So there you have it! Grand Slam’s Debut full-length album, “A New Dawn”. It hits so hard that even Rocky would have nightmares. Grab yourself a copy and salute the new champs, Grand Slam.
Written by: Shane Bradley
Ratings: Shane 9/10
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