KRYPTONITE – Kryptonite (2017)
Yeah, KRYPTONITE are yet another of those ‘projects’ assembled by a record company – Frontiers Music – but listening to their self-titled debut to be released August 4… wow, let these ‘projects’ coming!
Sometimes musicians are put together who only know each other from afar via their respective recordings, but something clicks and triggers a magical moment. That’s exactly what happened when Jake Samuels from The Poodles met up with producer Alessandro Del Vecchio.
Together, they handpicked each musician to be part of their vision for a strong lineup of young and hungry Swedish musicians that would be ready to go out there and kick some ass.
Pontus Egberg, formerly of The Poodles and now the bass player for Treat, was the first one to enter the picture, followed shortly thereafter by Robban Back of Mustasch (and ex-Eclipse). The choice of guitar player fell to the young and immensely gifted Mike Palace. Mike showed his huge talents as a writer and performer on his band Palace’s debut album and on several songs he has already written for the label.
Though the results of such collaborations can be iffy, in the case of Kryptonite are spectacular.
Best exemplified by ‘Chasing Fire’, ‘Across The Water’ and ‘Get Out Be Gone’, the music is slick and hook-laden, fusing the clean, modern-sounding sensibilities of today’s Scandi-AOR acts with the timelessness of 1987-era Whitesnake.
Yeah, Krytonite rocks hard, but plenty of melody.
‘Keep The Dream Alive’ is pure keyboard-driven Scandi melodic rocke, ‘Get Out Be Gone’ rock with edge, ‘Fallen Angels’ is hugely layered, and if you need ballads there’s the consistent ‘Knowing Both Of Us’.Oh, and don’t forget the most elaborated and at the same time catchiest tune on the album, ‘Better Than Yesterday’, a blast from the ’80s with a sharp modern sound.
Whether or not Kryptonite will get to make a second record remains to be seen. On the evidence of this terrific debut, though, such a prospect would be very welcome.
All members glued like a band who has been together for years, the songs are really good, and production bright n’ punchy.
Yeah, “Kryptonite” is a winner, one of the best of the year.
01 – Chasing Fire
02 – This Is the Moment
03 – Keep the Dream Alive
04 – Fallen Angels
05 – Across the Water
06 – Love Can Be Stronger
07 – Knowing Both of Us
08 – Get out Be Gone
09 – One Soul
10 – Better Than Yesterday
11 – No Retreat No Surrender
Jakob Samuels (The Poodles) – vocals
Michael Palace (Palace) – guitars
Pontus Egberg (Treat) – bass
Robban Bäck (Eclipse) – drums
Alessandro Del Vecchio, Pete Alpenborg, Mats Valentin – keyboards
Pre Order:
www.amazon.co.uk/Kryptonite/dp/B071PC4FXZ
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