Author: Aleš Podbrežnik
Artist: Vega
Label: Spinefarm Records
Released: 2013
Runtime: 55:37
Rating: 4.5/5
Vega are seen as a pleasant surprise coming out of the melodic rock circles of the British Isles, and with their 2010 debut »Kiss Of Life« they smartly sidestepped the usual popularity hurdles newcomers face on the scene. Vega are no one-hit wonder. Their excellent gigs prove it, mostly focused on home stages in Great Britain, but above all Vega left their mark with a set at one of the latest editions of Nottingham’s traditional Firefest festival, which is dedicated to the legacy of AOR and melodic rock.
The second album, punchily titled »What the Hell!«, keeps riding high on the melodic rock catchiness of the debut »Kiss Of Life«. Vega are constantly working on building a recognizable identity of their own. »What The Hell!« radiates those quirks too, especially when it comes to the British starting formula for approaching melodic rock. In melody, in conveying melancholy, in drama and of course in the overall dose of bombast, Vega come close to the traditional vibe of British Isles bands like FM, Hearland, Newman or Shy in their final creative era. Vega can at times even wear a stamp of optimism, amped up with a hefty helping of bombast, strictly inherited from Def Leppard’s best days (title track What the Hell!).
Vega have a distinct knack for crafting polished melodic figures, and the new album only deepens that quality. Even though there are as many as thirteen songs (not counting the intro, which runs barely a minute), the album never gives you the feeling of being weighed down by the occasional ballast of pushy minute-padding with »stinkers« (read: »filler« tracks that leave no artistic impression whatsoever). This is melodic rock that’s tight and sensibly tied to the philosophy of the British approach to eighties pop music, too. The whole AOR genre is simply steeped in this kind of artistic groundwork. The two just go together. The songs are short, concise, compact. They embody the exceptional melodic mentality of a band backed by a seasoned crew led by the battle-hardened Nick Workman, who spent many years honing his craft and is still involved with the British melodic rock outfit Kick. Then there are the superb arrangers and composers – brothers James and Thomas Martin. As a vocalist, Workman is an outstanding figure. He has an extremely likeable voice that dominates the top-notch delivery of the choruses, where, together with the backing vocals, he delivers the high points of the mood in the songs.
The songs are carefully detailed. There are no ups and downs in quality between them. They all stand side by side as equals. So you’ll have to find the highlights and personal favorites yourself. From the balladic Fade Into Flames to the catchy, hungry pomp marches (the title track, White Knuckle Ride, Hands in the Air), to the mid-tempo tracks (which dominate the album), cleverly contrasted with vivid mood swings between verse and chorus! These are the ones that work most convincingly in developing the bombast on the album (You Can’t Run, Bless My Soul, She Walks Alone, Turn It On). In terms of a mood that builds gradually and peaks in the chorus, the album’s two strongest songs are Saviour and, right behind it, It’s Gona Be Allright, where the AOR magic on this record simply never runs dry. From the first second to the last. It’s in these last two songs especially that the refined feel for sinking your teeth into the verses, in Nick Workman’s outstanding vocal performance, really sparkles. He simply does a wonderful job!
With »What the Hell!« Vega have delivered an album that proves »Kiss Of Life« was no »fluke« album, and we can now say that, with their new record, Vega stand right at the core of the best AOR / melodic rock “revival” bands in the world at the moment. The most convincing ones, meaning the crowd that has most deftly slipped out of the »generic« trap with their current studio work. Luckily, this time it’s Brits and not Scandinavians yet again, so it’s also nice to realize that melodic rock today doesn’t survive solely on the defiant tenacity of the »Vikings from the north«. »What the Hell!« is a top-notch achievement. From head to toe. You can’t go wrong with it. If you depend on feeding your energy with that hungry, bombastic atmosphere as only the unique greatness of AOR/melodic rock understands it, then know that there’s plenty of it on »What the Hell!«, and you may very well find yourself, with a bit of pomp, irreversibly hooked while listening to this album.
Line-up
Nick Workman – vocals
Tom Martin – guitar
James Martin – keyboards
Dan Chantrey – drums
Production
John Greatwood
Track list
01. Carnival Of Lost Souls
02. White Knuckle Ride
03. What The Hell
04. Not There For You
05. Cry
06. Raise Ya Game
07. Fade Into The Flames
08. You Can’t Run
09. Bless My Soul
10. She Walks Away
11. Turn It On
12. Saviour
13. It’s Gonna Be Alright
14. Hand In The Air
