Stargazer – ‘Life Will Never Be The Same Again’

(Mighty Music)

I was aware of Stargazer before hearing ‘Life Will Never be The Same Again’ and I’d liked what I’d heard and had meant to check them out before now. Had I purchased this album based on the little I knew I would have been left a happy man after my first spin as I was taken instantly by these melodic hard rock songs. It has a strong Scandi tone to it which I know will appeal to many melodic hard rock fans, but it has a strong metallic flavour especially in the sharp guitars – but it’s never quite metal, just a taste.

Stargazer on this album really put me in mind of Millennium (Remember them?) especially the Jorn fronted album ‘Hourglass’. If you are aware of that band than they are a great comparison for you to understand the bands style of melodic hard rock with a metallic twist. Otherwise imagine soaring vocals and sharp metallic guitars driving a melodic rock act.

While the album does have a couple of tracks which didn’t really jump out at me, I would still say it’s a solid album with very little to complain about if you enjoy this brand of music.

Stargazer are at their finest when belting out full force rockers like ‘Will I Come To Heaven’, ‘Don’t Kill’ and ‘Reach The Sky’ these songs are really memorable and the sweeping vocals and sharp-edged guitar riffs are really indelible. But they are not a one trick pony with tracks showcasing different shades to their style making for a strong album with individual tracks which make their own imprints on you.

I do have to shout out a couple of tracks, not as standout’s per se but because they add to the appeal of the album. The aforementioned tracks are more likely the ones I would recommend for people to try as they represent the band’s sound more truly. The first is ‘Live Today’ an acoustic ballad which is a timid song which is very different to the songs around it which are more bombastic. The change of pace is not a bad thing and it’s actually an enchanting little song. The second is the instrumental ‘Beyond The Moon’ which starts off with a Gary Moore Blues style guitar solo which as the track progresses morphs into a combo of the typical guitar style of the rest of the album and that Moore influence, and it’s really effective and is very enjoyable.

8/10

Essential Track - 'Don't Kill'

Review by Woody