BST – In The Blink Of An Eye (2013)
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BST is a young Swedish band formed in 2009 inspired by eighties / nineties melodic hard rock acts, but also embodying to their music some modern progressive elements as it’s heard on the five-piece full length debut “In The Blink Of An Eye”.
The album packs ten energetic tracks aiming for something different in this overcrowded genre, taking some risks on the compositional side as many of the songs offer unexpected twists here and there, and this is a good thing.
These guys are quite technical instrumentalists leveraging their skills to enrich their melodic tunes with an extra strength, while the lead vocals of Oskar Jacobsson are really high pitched at places which may disconcert some listeners but to me works most the time.
After the climatic instrumental “Overture”, the catchy “The Hall Of Crossfire” combines AORish verses pumped by a fat rhythm section with a metalized chorus where the guitars explode and a wall of keys support the over-the-top backing vocals. Surely not your typical melodic hard rock song, but works like a charm.
Next, “Destruction” clearly shows where BST takes their major inspiration: Norwegians TNT and their early material. This is a hard rocker where the guitar work recalls Ronnie LeTekro and the aggressive lead vocals reminds you a Tony Harnell on steroids.
Then “She Doesn’t Love You Anymore” turns much more melodic and commercial, yet BST tries to avoid the common places adding a progressive touch to the proceedings. Strongly keyboard infused and with some kind of epic arrangements, this one might sound strange at first listen but you have an uplifting song for sure. And good.
“Release The Beast” and “Time To Light The Fire” are upright melodic hard rockers, the latter even bringing to mind Europe pre-Final Countdown era, while “Breaking Free” seems to be a typical MHR midtempo but then the guys inject some adrenaline on the pre-chorus / chorus and a swirling keyboard solo.
“You Cannot Survive Life” is the purest AOR/MHR track on the disc where H.E.A.T / late eighties TNT sounds conjure to create one of the best songs on the album.
“Losing Your Heart” wraps all in a balladry form, again, not with you would expect from the genre. It owns an original, electrifying climate all over, briefly pick up the tempo in the middle, to end in a beautiful synth-orchestrated way.
Recorded and released by themselves, “In The Blink Of An Eye” is a truly refreshing album by these young, talented Swedes. If you need your Melodic Hard Rock with an ‘extra spice’, BST is a band you need to check out pronto.
Judging the quality on offer here they will be inked by a specialized label soon. I just hope BST does not resign their creativity, their ideas, their bravado to take risks and not just emulate a established band or style.
You’ll find something different on “In The Blink Of An Eye”, and that’s good news for the Melodic Hard Rock world.
Recommended.
01 – Overture
02 – The Hall of Crossfire
03 – Destruction
04 – She Doesn’t Love You Anymore
05 – Release the Beast
06 – Breaking Free
07 – Time to Light the Fire
08 – You Cannot Survive Life
09 – Losing Your Heart
Oskar Jacobsson – Vocals
Philip Olsson – Guitars
David Petersson – Keyboards
Björn Moen – Bass
Elias Jacobsson – Drums
BUY IT !
itunes.apple.com/us/album/in-the-blink-of-an-eye/id721523842
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