'
Optimystical' is (Robin) Vagh's latest project. I remember him saying some months ago that he was just putting this new album "out there" to see what happens.
Good to see then that it quickly found a home with Avenue Of Allies.
Let's get a few preconceptions out the way first.
It's not metal. It's not cutting edge. It's not ground breaking.
But Vagh has an agenda, a vision, a crystal clear picture of what quality melodic rock should sound like. And
'Optimystical' is it.
This is slick, crisp, cleanly crafted stuff. And no, I'm not damning the album with faint praise. If only all melodic rock albums were slick, crisp and cleanly crafted. Well, what a wonderful world it would be.
Unarguably, this is an enormously enjoyable collection of big guitars, beguiling riffs, sturdy tunes and catchy hooks, with two outstanding vocalists.
Vagh has blessed it with a gleaming production. It sparkles with the songwriting skill of someone who knows what melodic rock fans want. And it shines with the talent of someone who's capable of delivering.
It's not uniformly great, but it's as flawless an example of the journeyman's craft as you're likely to hear all year.
Vocalist Jonas Blum remains from the 2 Vagh releases
('Sands Of Time', 2002,
'Into The Future Zone, 2006). Only on 2 tracks here, but what a magnificent contribution.bringing a Lawless, Waspish tone to the galloping
AOR of
'Tonite' and an achingly earnest vocal to the Bonfire-esque hard rock song,
'Outcast'.
Ignore the clichéd lyrics on
'Face In The Window' and luxuriate in the classical keyboard arrangement. Vagh's cherry picked from a host of melodic rock influences and distilled the sound to one that still sounds good today. Respectful, confident, relevant. Just because you're joining the dots doesn't mean you're not creating a pretty picture.
The vocals on the other 10 tracks are handled by bright new find, Ronnie Hagstedt. He occasionally lapses into Coverdale-sing. Which is fine, appropriate even, on the
Rainbow powered
'Happen', but sounds a little desperate on the inclined-to-plod
'Lost Horizon'.
Elsewhere, '
Jennifer' and
'The Storm' (particularly
'The Storm') press home Vagh's claim to fame with vigour, verve and no little conviction, ensuring that the album's quotient of substance is at least the equal and usually the greater of its quotient of style.
Robin Vagh's wide circle of fans is about to be expanded.
Written by
Brian Thursday, October 29, 2009
Show all reviews by BrianRatingsBrian: 6.5/10Members: 6/10 - Average of 1 ratings.
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