CD REVIEW: VEGA – Stereo Messiah

Label: Frontiers Music SRL

Release Date: October 21, 2014

Rating: 8.5/10

Reviewed by: Todd “Toddstar” Jolicoeur

I love when a friend in the industry introduces me to new music that hits several of my sweet spots.  The title track from the new disc from Vega, “Stereo Messiah” kicks off and sets the pace for the rest of the disc.  The melodic feel of the track mixes with killer riffs to create a perfect opening.  “All Or Nothing” is a bit heavier on keyboards than the previous track, but still features some chugging guitars and a solid rhythm section that keeps the song moving along towards its full chorus.  “Ballad Of The Broken Hearted” is a mellow track that seems to marry the feel of melodic rock with a bit of ballad thrown into the mix.  The vocals carry this song through the verse to the chorus where the rest of the band flex their collective muscles.  “The Fall” returns to full-blown the melodic rock groove created at the beginning of the disc.  The keyboards fill the sound while the guitars and vocals join in and take this song to the next level.  The solid playing from the rest of the band make this a solid rocker from top to bottom.  “With Both Hands” is a ballad-like song that tears a page from the Journey handbook.  The keyboard opening that soon morphs into a guitar driven track with vocals that build slowly from the start of the verse until the chorus kicks in full throttle.  “My Anarchy” is a keyboard track that just happens to have some guitar, bass, and drums playing solidly in the background, anchoring the track with a heavy bottom end.  The vocals and keyboards seem to compliment each other through the chorus.

“Wherever We Are” opens with a different feel than other tracks, but soon shows its melodic side when the guitars arrive and give this song a needed push back into line with the other tracks on the disc.  “Gonna Need Some Love Tonight” brings the drums to the forefront with a tribal pattern that sits nicely against the guitars and keyboards that accompany the vocals.  The drums and bass kick in full speed at the chorus and help this song with a swift kick of attitude.  “Neon Heart” gives us another shot of rock guitar that drives the song.  The rest of the players are present, but the driving riffs and solos give this song bite and attitude, that is enhanced at the chorus by the vocals the seems almost anthemic.  “10x Bigger Than Love” is a diverse track, in that the opening has a weird vibe and the pacing and rhythm of the track seems disjointed, but the guitar underneath is cool and helps bring everything together by time the band gets to the chorus.  “The Wild, The Weird, The Wonderful” has great guitars that take over from the first note until the last.  The vocals are lofty and play well against the guitars, while the keyboards join the mix and support the driving string attack.  The bass and drums join the fray and help the driving tempo of the track.  “Tears Never Dry” closes the disc with a cool keyboard/guitar driven ballad that wraps some of the great aspects of this track into a single song, while missing on the rock meter, this is a solidly played track that well represents the rest of the disc.

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Category: CD Reviews