Label: Frontiers Music Srl.
Release date: November 9, 2018
Album length: 43.09
Production: Eric Martensson
Genre: Melodic Rock / Hard Rock
It’s incredible what experience, talent, hard work and, above all, fire can do. Heart. The work ethic of Eric Martensson, the highly respected Swedish composer, multi-instrumentalist, producer and singer, knows no bounds. On top of being constantly committed to Eclipse and W.E.T., Martensson is always active as a producer and songwriter too, polishing arrangements and albums for other artists, which often makes him something of a mentor to them. Well, a good four years ago the head honchos at Frontiers Music Srl came up with the idea of teaming Martensson up with the legendary Danish hard rock vocalist from Pretty Maids, Ronnie Atkins. The label had already committed a similar original sin when putting W.E.T. together (back then they paired Martensson with Robert Sall (Work of Art) and Jeff Scott Soto (Talisman)), and to everyone’s surprise the band stuck around and grew into a serious, full-time act. Well, it looks like something similar is happening with Nordic Union. After Atkins, thrilled and excited by Martensson’s demos, signed on to the Nordic Union project in 2015, and the debut »Nordic Union« came out in January 2016, here we are with the follow-up, »Second Coming«.
If Atkins is mostly just the singer in this project, though of course he’s actively involved in finalizing the vocal arrangements, then Eric Martensson is everything else. He’s now even the one and only guitarist, proving with some really excellent solos that he’s made huge strides lately in mastering the six-string craft. There’s no “outside” guest on »Second Coming« playing guitar solos on individual tracks, as there was on the debut »Nordic Union«. However you look at it, the most important thing is still that Martensson is the main songwriter, arranger and of course producer on the new album too. On top of that, he plays all the bass guitars, contributes the keyboard arrangements and dresses up the vocal melodies with backing harmonies. Only the drumming was once again borrowed from his Eclipse buddy Magnus Ulfstedt.
»Second Coming« keeps the quality level of the studio debut. In every respect. Expectations are high, since the Pretty Maids fan base is huge, and Eclipse enjoy a ton of respect on the melodic rock world map as well. The result is a kind of musical hybrid. A wonderfully successful crossbreed of the musical elements the two main players bring into the Nordic Union story from their home bands, which is also the basic takeaway from the debut.
The album is full of pomp and bombast. Theatrical hunger that wins melodic rock fans over to Nordic Union’s side in an instant, especially through ultra-catchy melodic choruses. It’s dramatic and even a little dark at times as it moves through its moods, while Atkins’ unique vocal character shines on it with full intensity, along with the outstanding songwriting chops of the extremely prolific and sparkling Martensson, who once again passed the exam in sonic and arrangement perfectionism with flying colors. Naturally, the songs sit closer to Eclipse and W.E.T. in sound and songwriting than to Pretty Maids. To put it more precisely: they tie in nicely with the side of the Pretty Maids story that’s especially catchy. The production is bristling. The guitars are firmly in your face and make up the bulk of the sonic mass when it comes to dressing the arrangements. In that setting, Atkins’ gritty, “juicy and thick” voice, a little lowered by the maturity of the years, finds its place phenomenally. Much like Pretty Maids, who never once in their career “went easy” on distorted decibels.
»Second Coming« is yet another album tailor-made for fans of Pretty Maids, Eclipse and W.E.T., while also aiming at the wider crowd of melodic-but-bristling hard rock lovers. From Jorn, Talisman and Pink Cream 69 to the godfather bands, like “eighties” Bon Jovi, and on to Whitesnake, Treat and/or Gotthard.
author: Aleš Podbrežnik
rating: 9.0 / 10
Track list:
01. My Fear & My Faith
02. Because Of Us
03. It Burns
04. Walk Me Through The Fire
05. New Life Begins
06. The Final War
07. Breathtaking
08. Rock’s Still Rolling
09. Die Together
10. The Best Thing I Never Had
11. Outrun You
Lineup:
Ronnie Atkins – vocals, backing vocals
Eric Martensson – guitar, keyboards, bass guitar, backing vocals
Magnus Ulfstedt – drums
