OUTLOUD – Virtual Hero Society (2018)
OUTLOUD begins a new chapter of their career with their fourth full-length album, “Virtual Hero Society” to be released tomorrow September 14th, 2018, via ROAR! Rock Of Angels Records.
This time, with the album title, theme and title track and first single ‘Virtual Heroes’, Outloud goes toward deeper subject matter, tackling what could be called the “double-edged sword” of technology in today’s society, as evidenced by the album cover.
However, musically, “Virtual Hero Society” continues with the band’s penchant for classy Melodic Rock / AOR, and the album is also known as ‘VHS’, an acronym of its title and another reference to the golden ’80s.
On this 4th album, Outloud, fronted by extraordinaire american singer Chandler Mogel, and musically conducted by talented Bob Katsionis, the band has perfected their craft of pure melodic songs plenty of harmonies, catchy choruses, lovely synths and hooky guitar riffs.
Honestly, “Virtual Hero Society” is a blast for fans of the genre.
‘Fools’ Train’ opens with a pumping rhythm and a classy melodic line Outloud is known for, then ‘My Promise’ adds a lovely keys and verses / chorus akin the new wave of Melodic Rock, very much in the H.E.A.T / Brother Firetribe vein.
“Virtual Heroes” is quite uptempo but always melodic, with interesting lyrics and a hot guitar solo.
And now it comes ‘I Am the One’, one of the highlights among highlights. This killer AOR song is inspired by Foreigner. Yes, the sound is modern, updated to current times, but listen to carefully, this is is Foreigner circa 1986. The overall feel, soaring vocals, keyboard runs and guitar work on this song are to die for.
Next, ‘Share My Dreams’ is much, much more than your regular melodic rock ballad. It packs ‘essence’, Chandler’s incredible performance and that synths… I love the ’80s, and Outloud too.
Do you need more Eighties? Taste ‘World-Go-Round’, a midtempo joyful tune some kind of ABBA goes AOR (crazy but true) pumped by a monster bass line and Mogel pristine vocals.
Back to melodic hard rock rush there’s ‘We Got Tonite’, another Eighties influenced song yet with a modern sound in the best Scandinavian style. It’s a killer rocker all over.
More quality comes with the poppy ‘Borrowed Time’ (Reckless Love anyone?), the rocking ‘Live with It’, the punchy ‘…And I Tried’ (love the guitar work here), and the excellent closer ‘Fight On!’, a tune that will remind you that ’80s action movie soundtracks.
Oh, almost forgot it… Chandler Mogel give us away a fantastic a-capella piece titled ‘Fallen Love’, pretty much like Extreme used to do. This guy is awesome, one of the most underrated current vocalists in Rock, and deserves major exposure.
I’m sold with Outloud’s “Virtual Hero Society”… what a killer melodic rock / AOR record mixing the classy ’80s influence with a modern, vibrant production / sound.
All songs are good, all performances top notch, and yes folks, this is already in my ‘Best Of’ list this year.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
01 – Fools’ Train
02 – My Promise
03 – Virtual Heroes
04 – I Am the One
05 – Share My Dreams
06 – World-Go-Round
07 – We Got Tonite
08 – Borrowed Time
09 – Live with It
10 – …And I Tried
11 – Fallen Love
12 – Fight On!
Bob Katsionis – Guitars, Keyboards
Chandler Mogel – Vocals
Jim Kyritsis – Guitars
Sverd – Bass
Thanos Pappas – Drums
PRE ORDER:
www.amazon.de/Virtual-Hero-Society-Digipak-Outloud/dp/B07FDTDRN5
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