CHRIS BAY – Chasing The Sun (2018)
February 23, 2018 will see the release of CHRIS BAY first solo album, “Chasing The Sun“, on Steamhammer / SPV. If Bay’s name doesn’t rings a bell, he’s best known as the founder and frontman of German rockers FREEDOM CALL.
It’s a well-known predicament that Chris Bay shares with many other composers: occasionally, his wealth of inspiration goes beyond the stylistic and thematic scope of his own band.
So if the metallic sound of FREEDOM CALL is not your thing, better check “Chasing The Sun”, it’s a surprisingly breezy poppy melodic rock album.
Indeed, since the opening track ‘Flying Hearts’, everything sounds easy to the ears, with gentle guitars, but the big vocals are still there, and the album it’s worth buying for that song alone, akin CASANOVA or DOMINOE. Some good keyboards / synths in there too.
‘Light My Fire’ is more bouncy (Freedom Call dipped into that) but this is slightly more pop metal, very radio friendly akin STAGE DOLLS.
Yes it’s different and it’s definitely not metal, it is as enjoyable as it gets. It’s actually all the more enjoyable too for the fact Bay’s moved away from Freedom Call so an extent. There’s a darker edge to ‘Move On,’ but no matter how dark it has that parp that keeps things light and fresh.
‘Radio Starlight’ moves back to the more commercial side of Freedom Call, in fact, it sounds like a lost TERRA NOVA track, poppy melodic rock with a feel-good vibe.
There’s a sensitive side in ‘Silent Cry’ (a well crafted midtempo with some THE HOLLIES), ‘Hollywood Dancer’ has a touch of a that ‘sung down a telephone line’ effect to the intro, then it moves to a great upbeat, on-acid melodic rock number in the vein of ENUFF Z’NUFF.
The intro to ‘Where Waters Flow’ is a little haunting, then the song has a classic rock feel mixing various decades of influences into one. There’s a dark effect filled edge to ‘Bad Boyz’, imagine ’80s glam metal gone ’90s direction. I really like this track because it’s different, including a solid solo.
Chis Bay just did it right on first solo album “Chasing The Sun”: something different.
It’s definitely radical enough to have hardcore Freedom Call / metal fans wondering and wandering, it is more big melodic rock / classic rock meets power pop in places, but how many solo albums are made pointless by sounding just like the original band?
Too many. Not this one. It may be lighter, but the quality is there and it’s a great listen.
VERY Recommended
01. Flying Hearts
02. Light My Fire
03. Move On
04. Radio Starlight
05. Silent Cry
06. Hollywood Dancer
07. Keep Waiting
08. Misty Rain
09. Where Waters Flow In Heaven
10. Bad Boyz
11. Love Will Never Die
PRE ORDER:
www.amazon.de/Chasing-Sun-Chris-Bay/dp/B0753QGJXR
.
