Damned Nation - Grand Design | ||
Tracks:
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Album Cover: ![[Image]](../../Images/granddesign.jpg)
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Label: Z Records Producer: Damned Nation Year: 2000 Total Playing Time: 51:54 m:s Review date: 24/12/2000 |
| Web site: www.zrecords.net, listen.to/damned.nation Email: | ||
| Rating: 85 % | ||
| Verdict: Classy Melodic Hard Rock | ||
| This album arrived for review when I was fully occupied coping with a house move and the arrival of my baby daughter. The result was that listening to the album, never mind writing the review, started, stopped, and then was put on the back burner quite a few times. However, initial impressions weren't that positive.
Eventually the album was transferred into my car (most Mood Swings reviews are formulated on the drive to and from work) and on that first morning listening to the album it was like listening to a different album. I listened to the album and was suitably impressed. Writing the review of the album got put on hold yet again. Finally, with a little spare time over Christmas, I'm listening & writing the review. Damned Nation haven't changed the basic formula I heard on the previous album. They're still purveyors of melodic hard rock. Indeed many of my comments from the last album apply again here. "Stonecold Woman" starts the album off well enough, but it a song I'm sometimes more enthusiastic about than others. The few doubts about the opener are dispelled by "Hiding From The World" where the band seem to move up a gear in term of melody and quality. The band move a little away from the hard rock of the openers with the Harem Scarem style AOR of "Heart On The Run". It is almost as if the band have been building up to Fortune-Teller. This slice of Rainbow-ish melodic hard rock is the highlight of the album for me. The connection to the next song, "Desperate Call", is that this time I'm reminded of another Purple spin-off, Whitesnake. The band attack "Eyes Of A Stranger" with more aggression, yet maintain a sense of melody. The riff heavy "Hands Of Time" reminds me of Eye Witness. As with the previous slower tune, "Going Crazy" has a hint of Mr Coverdale about it. Just as I'm about the accuse "Scream Of Anger" of being average Euro-Rock, a decent chorus rides in to save the day. With "Love Reaction" the redeeming chorus isn't in evidence. However, the band are back on track with the slow burner closer, "Dance In Darkness". I listened to this for a hell of a long time before writing this review and the album, a few initial doubts dispelled, has stood the test of the prolonged review period. Damned Nation create classy melodic hard rock and this album follows on where the previous one left off. This genre of rock isn't going to win any prizes for originality or invention. So when you decide to pursue a career in this area you've got to be good. And that is exactly how I'd describe Damned Nation - they're a tight unit with considerable talents in all departments. Their chosen genre of rock makes them easy targets for criticism, but if you're like me and enjoy melodic hard rock - well just sit back & enjoy listening to the music. | ||
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