Artist: Frontline
Label: AOR Heaven Records
Release: 2006
Rating: 3/5
This outstanding German melodic “hard rock band” really doesn’t know how to ease off and keeps charging full steam ahead! Ever since they landed under the watchful wing of AOR Heaven, Frontline have carried on along their firmly set path, picking up exactly where their excellent predecessor “The Seventh Sign” (2004) left them.
These seasoned Germans from Nuremberg just won’t quit. “Circles” is another excellent AOR/Metal Rock album, packed from start to finish with high-voltage adrenaline. AOR Metal, German style? You bet! It’s got everything it needs. The crystal-clear production gets its width from the depth of a thick groove in the rhythm section, where the drums don’t shy away from the double bass pedal whenever the right opportunity comes up. Sharply wound guitars, cleanly separated in the mix, bring a Teutonic rawness thanks to how upfront they sit in the production, the kind you’d normally associate with German heavy power metal bands like Angel Dust! The vocals are equally strong in every register, ideal for belting out big melodies in the vein of Michael Kiske (ex-Helloween). Robby Böbel, who has just left Evidence One, a sadly overlooked guitarist, once again underlines his outstanding talent. The guitar riffs are magnificent, the soloing is tastefully woven into the framework of the songs, there’s never a shortage of fretboard wizardry from this veteran of the scene, and he keeps surprising you at every turn on this new Frontline record too. The highlights are the impressive choruses, where the atmosphere trembles as tastefully laid backing vocal lines join the lead of singer Stephan Kämmerer. The riffs are open-sounding and devilishly tightly wound in the production, and the band’s edge comes close, as mentioned, to metal elements, which has long since stopped being a rarity among AOR/hard rock bands from German-speaking countries. In short: no sugar, just a highly vibrant atmosphere with the right dose of drama in the songs. The melodies are beautifully balanced with just the right amount of rawness in the production, which gives the album a lively feel, so it’s easy to say that “Circles” hits an excellent common denominator of AOR “pomp” in just the right measure, never overloading your ears. Another plus is that the record runs a mere 46 minutes or so, which keeps the dynamics high, and there’s no talk of repetitiveness either.
The songs are well crafted and stand shoulder to shoulder, and the album is played in top gear from start to finish. Full throttle, no needless fiddling and no unnecessary complications. In other words, it goes straight for the ears and brains of those who can’t be bothered to overthink things, music that worms its way into your ear all by itself, whether you like it or not. “Circles” definitely cements Frontline’s position and, as such, has great potential to push the band forward into the spotlight of modern melodic AOR/metal rock, which Frontline undoubtedly deserve more than enough. Keep it up!
Line-up
Stephan Kämmerer – vocals
Robby Böbel – guitar, keyboards
Thomas “Hutch” Bauer – bass
Rami Ali – drums
Production
Robby Böbel
Tracklist
1. No One
2. I Give You The Rest
3. Save Me
4. Did You Ever (Taste The Pain)
5. Say, What You Have To Say
6. Don’t Run Away
7. Hunter
8. Into Deep
9. It Is You
10. My Vision
Album length: 46.32
