MUSIC REVIEW: ONE DESIRE – Midnight Empire

Label: Frontiers Music s.r.l.

Release Date: May 22, 2020

Rating: 86%

Reviewed by: Todd “Toddstar” Jolicoeur

One Desire is a band that never hit my radar when they released their debut in 2017.  The follow-up, 2020’s Midnight Empire got a couple spins and I found myself going back to it.  Disc opener “Shadowman” unfolds like a prog rock piece, but quickly morphs into a melodic rock song that leans heavily on the searing guitars and soaring vocals… a theme that runs throughout the disc’s ten tracks.  The song has a cool vibe that is enhance with some cool riffs and fret board tricks.  “After You’re Gone” is a track I go back to time and time again.  The guitar riffs are full, the vocals work perfectly within the songs sound and construction, and the overall cadence from the rhythm section gets the foot tapping and keeps the song anchored.  The symphonic feel gives the song depth.  “Godsent Extasy” opens with keyboard heavy instrumentation that soon ebbs and shifts to a guitar and vocal driven rocker that swirls in the rhythm section and keyboard throughout.  The cadence is contagious and keeps your foot tapping throughout the song.  “Heroes” is another solid rocker that relies on the blend of guitars, keyboards, and vocals.  The tempo from the rhythm section helps this songs to move along without running away with itself.  The short orchestral outro is a nice touch.  “Battlefield Of Love” takes a nod from the rest of the collection and comes straight at you from the start and uses the keyboards and guitars to push the track.  The melodic vibe woven through each track is not lost on this song, even though the lyrics seem to be taken from a different page.

“Down And Dirty” is a cool rocker that comes straight at you from the first note and doesn’t let up.  The guitars and keyboards swirl perfectly in the mix while the layered vocals at the chorus create a thick sound.  The song has a great bridge that helps tie the track together and allows the vocals to soar a bit in the mix and production.  “Through The Fire” slows the pace of the disc down and delivers a ballad.  The acoustic guitars and milder vocals are a nice mix and come through nicely.  This one features some layered vocals that build to a crescendo at the chorus.  This is a powerful track in its sound and delivery without being heavy.  “Rio” opens with a different vibe and sound sonically than most of the disc, but soon the guitars join the fray and we have a power ballad on our hands and in our ears.  The vocals that lead into the bridge set the stage and the guitar solo drives the sound of the track home.  “Killer Queen” kicks off with a slightly different sound and vibe, but soon shifts to be familiar, as it mixes nicely with the other tracks on the disc.  I cannot put my finger on it, but the guitars seem to have a different sound and texture to them on this track, which also happens to be on of the more contagious songs on the disc.  Disc closer “Only When I Breathe” is an interesting way to wrap up the collection.  The ballad slows the pace and backs off the sonic groove of the rest of the disc.  Not to say the song isn’t good, I normally look for a track to take me out with high energy that prompts me to give the disc another spin right away.  The high point of this one for me is the acoustic guitar on the bridge  This is a cool sophomore effort from the band… and has me going to find the debut so I can get a real feel for the band and the growth on this release.

Tracklisting: Shadowman – After You’re Gone – Down And Dirty – Godsent Extasy – Through The Fire – Heroes – Rio – Battlefield Of Love – Killer Queen – Only When I Breathe

Lineup: Jimmy Westerlund (guitars) – André Linman (vocals) – Ossi Sivula (drums) – Jonas Kuhlberg (bass guitar)

ONE DESIRE LINKS:

OFFICIAL SITE

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

MIDNIGHT EMPIRE – ITUNES

Category: CD Reviews