Boys From Heaven – ‘The Descendant’

(Target)

I was impressed by Boys From Heaven’s debut album ‘The Great Discovery’ so obviously I was keen to hear more from these Traditional AOR Danes who sound like they are from California. ‘The Descendant’ may only be eight tracks long, but its 100% top quality AOR. I was enjoying the album and by the time third song ‘Sarah’ kicked in I was a dribbling mess fully in AOR paradise fully believing I was listening to the second coming of AOR.

Obviously after listening to the album in full and giving myself time for a comedown that initial assessment may be too hyperbolic but the sentiment remains that this is a truly wonderful slice of traditional early Eighties flavoured AOR. As with their debut that Toto and West Coast is full frontal and is obviously the sound, they wish to emulate and at times it really does feel like it’s taking you back to another time such is their faithfulness to the genre and the sound of the Eighties in general.

‘Sarah’ is simply beautiful with a bittersweet edge given its emotive lyrics and is an immensely memorable song. For me it’s an AOR classic that would have been a mega hit had it been released in 1984. If you don’t get this song or see its beauty, I’d be tempted to say do you even like AOR!?

I love the atmospherics of these songs and Mads Noyé’s Keyboards are integral to these beautiful songs giving them a sense of wonder and a heart filling sound. Every aspect of this album is another level and of an extremely high quality from the song writing and the performances to the clean and crisp production from Erik ‘Eclipse’ Martensson.

Even though their influences are obvious they are very much their own beast and do not sound like a second-rate Toto or trying to be too similar to them. I think this is something that helps elevate their impact, unlike other bands who try to emulate a winning formula too close and failing to impress in the process.

Boys From Heaven should be huge! Why aren’t they already? Definitely a band with a sound that comes from another era, but nevertheless they should be more well known or at least adored by the majority of Traditional AOR fans! If AOR is your thing, get ‘The Descendant’ and time travel back to the glory of the Eighties!

10/10

Essential Track - 'Sarah'

Review by Woody