ALYSON AVENUE – Omega II [YesterRock remaster, remix & bonus]
Formed in Sweden in 1989, ALYSON AVENUE originally was a male fronted band when backing singer Anette Olzon took over the mike duties for the band’s 2000 debut album with the aim to take the resurgent Melodic Rock world by storm.
Highly praised by fans and the press that album was followed four years later with the equally impressive ‘Omega’ CD. The years that followed saw the band take a hiatus, as the various band members embarked on different projects and more significantly in 2007, when Olzon was named as the new singer with Nightwish.
These news was a kind of double edged sword, in one way the band had lost a great vocalist, but in another it also got the name of Alyson Avenue exposed to an even wider audience, which resulted in added interest in the bands first two albums, so much so that the band re-released their debut.
Then their second album ‘Omega’ was renamed “Omega II“, after the band decided to redo the many of the instrumental parts, remix some and remastering, while keeping Olzon’s original vocals.
It also features 5 previously unreleased tracks that are so good it makes you wonder why they were abandoned on the original release.
Songs like “Can I Be Wrong”, “When Dreams Fall Apart”, “Do You Ever Miss My Passion?” or “Tonight Is All You Get” shows Alyson Avenue’s harder Melodic Rock side with strong sharp guitars, while “Whenever You Need Someone” and “I Still Believe” are extremely melodic and catchy.
“Echoes of My Heart” is beautiful, classy power ballad worthy of being on a collection with Heart’s “Alone” or any Vixen slow tunes.
The bonuses are equally great, including the hauntingly hooky “I Am (Your Pleasuremaker)” and the AOR bliss of “Hard To Feel Alive”.
Released through YesterRock records, Alyson Avenue’s “Omega II” is female fronted Scandi Melodic Hard Rock at its best.
Killer melodic songs, a great vocalist and this time with a very good production / mix, this is a criminally underrated CD among fans of the genre. You need this one in your collection.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
01 – When Dreams Fall Apart
02 – Tonight Is All You Get
03 – Perfect Love
04 – One Life One Show
05 – Do You Ever Miss My Passion
06 – Echoes Of My Heart
07 – I Still Believe
08 – I Have Been Waiting
09 – Can I Be Wrong
10 – Whenever You Need Someone
BONUS TRACKS:
11 – I Am (Your Pleasuremaker)
12 – Hard To Feel Alive
13 – Fight With Your Heart
14 – Every Day Is A Trial
15 – Another Night
Anette Olzon – Vocals
Thomas Löyskä – Bass
Niclas Olsson – Keyboards
Tony Rohtla, Jarmo Piiroinen – Guitars
Fredrik Eriksson, Roger Landin – Drums
BUY IT !
www.recordshopx.com/artist/alyson_avenue/omega_ii/
.