WORK OF ART - In Progress (Release: USA Aug 23th, 2011 - EU Aug 26th, 2011)

 

Here we go with the latest by this Swedish band and let me say that this album is exactly what the name of the band reads, a truly WORK OF ART. This album is what JOURNEY's Eclipse should have been. From the beggining to the end this album is full of energy, with magnificent keys and an astonishing production all surrounded by vocals of Lars Säfsund with no doubt one of the best vocalist of AOR scene.
The album opens with The Rain and please when you listen for the first time to this song turn up the volumen to 10 and let the music bang your ears. Is a shot to your brain with a fantastic mix of keys and guitars with Lars rocking like crazy, just listen where he reach just before the guitar solo. Backing vocals bring the warm touch and like all over the album are beautiful. Special atention to guitar solo and backing keys while the plucking... wow!!! The Nature Of The Game is another energetic track built on keys with catchy chorus and with a laid back before the guitar solo that make of this cut another highlight. Once Again is a beautiful mid-tempo introducing some backing piano and few doubled guitars while Never Love Again is catchy song that will reminds you of Higher Place from Arrival by JOURNEY. The Eye Of The Storm sometimes reminds of Who Cries Now by UNRULY CHILD but much more melodic and with fantastic backing vocals while Lars go as high as Mark Free could reach. Now we jump to Castaway the only song with acoustic guitar into and with a rawer sound though chorus is melodic with awesome backing vocals. Fall Down have some reminiscent of TOTO as One Step Away that could perfectly fit in The Seventh One.
The rest of the album keeps the same energetic vibe with the exception of Untill You Believe a precious mid-tempo that is another gem in this album.
In summary, one of the albums of the year with fantastic songs and production, there's no weak track  but the only thing with this album is that some cuts could sound too similar though it doesn't matter much because of the quality of all songs. If the music world were as it should be this album should be released by Sony an become a millions seller.

More info: http://www.myspace.com/musicofworkofart

Best tracks (in order of preference):

The Rain

Castaway

Emilie

Nature Of The Game

Until You Believe

This album is worth of 4.8 out of 5 ROCKS!!!

Charts:

SWE # 30

The Great Fall (official video):