VEGA – Who We Are [Japan Edition +1] (2016)

BEST OF THE BEST Album of The Year 2016

With each new album, British melodic rock wonders VEGA hits the ball out of the park. Their latest and fourth album, “Who We Are” isn’t an exception. As when we reviewed their previous, I can say at the start, without hesitation: Buy this album.
Yeah, it’s all good.
And if you can afford this Japanese Edition, even better, as you have a bonus track an extra pearl titled ‘Look The Other Way’.

“Who We Are” is equal parts musical manifesto, resume and definition; Vega is AOR / Melodic Hard Rock in the best and finest tradition, born in the Eighties, then transported to and revitalized for the 21st century.
These guys live and breath this stuff. Cut an artery and they bleed this music.
“We wear our love of ’80s melodic rock music on our sleeve, but we also have injected our love of modern sounds to it. We aren’t trying to rehash anything: the sound we have achieved is 100% VEGA. We didn’t want to try and guess what people expect and get it wrong,” says singer Nick Workman.

And with their fourth studio album, “Who We Are”, once again for the Frontiers Music label, Vega manage again to create a magic formula with concise and riveting songs that rock from start to finish and will leave you wanting more.
I’m not sure which elements of the Vega sound I like best, because they’re all good and vital. Perhaps are the lead vocals / vocal harmonies: lush, sweet, melodic. Nick Workman has an amazing voice.
Or maybe the twin guitar harmony that also helps to spin the melody. Then there’s those big guitar solos that pepper each song like Cajun hot sauce.

Or maybe it’s simply that Vega’s natural knack for infectious melody in each arrangement. But then there’s the abundance of groove which can hook these things together: Melody + Harmony + Groove = AOR accessibility and good times.
Every song seems built to rock and tear down an arena. Every song has the inherent ability to charm your ears and draw you in. Ear candy as it were.
All tracks on this CD are great, but my top picks are: ‘If Not You’, ‘Explode’, ‘Every Little Monster’, and the amazing twins ‘Ignite’ and ‘Saving Grace’.

Vega are the real Melodic Rock / AOR deal. A band at the top of their game. Everybody else is either playing catch up or chasing their own tails.
Yeah, Vega and “Who Were Are” are that good. Yeah, BEST Album Of The Year.
Exceedingly Recommended

You’ve seen this Japanese Edition first here, at 0dayrox

King Records Japan ～ KICP-1771
Ｖ Ｅ Ｇ Ａ  『フー・ウィ・アー』

01 – Explode
02 – We Got It All
03 – Every Little Monster
04 – Nothing Is Forever
05 – White Flag
06 – For Our Sins
07 – Generation Now
08 – Ignite
09 – Savin’ Grace
10 – If Not You
11 – Hurts So Bad
12 – Look The Other Way (Japan Bonus track)

Nick Workman – Vocals
Tom Martin – Guitars
Marcus Thurston – Guitars
Daniel Chantrey – Drums
James Martin – Keyboards

BUY IT !
www.cdjapan.co.jp/product/KICP-1771
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