21 OCTAYNE – Into The Open [Limited Edition] (2014)

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21 OCTAYNE was founded by current Axxis guitarist Marco Wriedt to create a band that can straddle the traditional boundaries in hard rock / metal. The band is a union of German talent: Luca Turilli’s Rhapsody drummer Alex Landenburg, Joe Perry Project vocalist Hagen Grohe, and Paul Gilbert bassist Andrew Lauer.
21 Octayne is releasing their debut “Into The Open” through AFM Records, and it’s a little different from the label usual output of Teutonic metal and the change is refreshing to these ears.

The album opens with “She’s Killing Me”, and 21 Octayne immediately set out their stall. It’s no nonsense technical hard rock, with an extraordinary synchronicity of the three instrumentalists. The first thing musically that hits you are the powerful vocals, and then the polished arrangements. The hook is there in spades in the chorus and as an opener it is a good choice as it serves as a brief example of what they can all do individually and together.
“Dear Friend” is up next, which lulls the listener into a false sense of serenity, with its tenderly picked nylon string guitar intro, only to be pummelled with a riff as dirty as an overworked mechanic just when they’re getting comfortable.

But Wriedt wanted with 21 Octayne something different fron the usual hard rock, and on tracks to come the band pushes the genre’s to a blend.
They add some power chords and classic rock to the proceedings on the terrific “Don’t Turn Away” sounding like recent wonders The Winery Dogs. Andrew ‘The Bullet’ Lauer provide fancy bass runs scattered around the whole album adding a heavy-funk groove to the hard rockin’ song patterns.
At the same time, there’s modern touches on some tracks such as “Your Life” but then veers off into Bon Jovi territory for the chorus.

21 Octayne also craft very good ballads; the mid-tempo melodic rocker “Turn The World” adds a sprinkle of Night Ranger’s ’90s works, while the smoothly, wonderful “I Will Always Be Right There” it’s pure soft acoustic guitar and once again Hagen Grohe’s vocal ever so rockingly delicate.
The album ends on an impressive high rocking-it-out style with the dynamic, ultra melodious and almost anthemic “Come Alive”. And for once I can find something else to say other that ‘buy this record’.

Seriously, 21 Octayne’s “Into The Open” is truly impressive.
The band mixes classic / hard rock song structures with a modern approach, specially from production which is superb and extremely polished. There’s hooks, groove, catchiness and a diversity of styles swinging around on each track, whilst all still under the “Rock” banner is wide ranging with some elements of psych, funk and metal. This is seriously impressive stuff for the genre, and really refreshing.
The musicianship is excellent, but that typical Euro vocal performance from Hagen Grohe steals the show and glistens in the musical sunshine. His rich vocals adding a much needed commercial element which needs to comes hand in hand with a release of this sort is faultlessly delivered.
You need to check 21 Octayne’s “Into The Open”, you will be impressed, pleasantly impressed.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

01. She’s Killing Me
02. Dear Friend
03. Turn the World
04. Don’t Turn Away
05. My Teddy Bear
06. Into the Open
07. Me Myself and I
08. The Heart (Save Me)
09. Your Life
10. I Will Always Be Right There (ltd. ed. bonus track)
11. Leave My Head (ltd. ed. bonus track)
12. Come Alive (ltd. ed. bonus track)

Hagen Grohe (The Joe Perry Project) – Vocals
Marco Wriedt (Axxis) – Guitar
Alex Landenburg (Rhapsody) – Drums
Andrew Lauer (Paul Gilbert Band) – Bass

BUY IT !
shop.afm-records.de/en/21octayne-into-the-open-ltd-digipak.html
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