ART NATION – Transition [Japanese Edition +1] (2019)

Swedish melodic rockers ART NATION will release their third album “Transition” on October 25th, 2019, while this Japanese edition appeared today features a non album track as bonus. The new album consists of 10 powerful songs written and produced by frontman Alexander Strandell and Johan Gustavsson except ”The Cure” that has been co written by Multi-Platinum Awarded songwriter and producer Andreas Stone.

Since Art Nation started in 2014 they have been successful in Sweden as well as around Europe. They’ve been nominated in one of Sweden’s biggest music prizes such as “Live act of the year” and “Sweden’s band of the year”. They have also played prestigious shows at Ullevi Stadium, Friends Arena and TV performances that led to different Festivals in Europe.
And now they are finally back with new music.

The good thing about Art Nation is they never repeat themselves, and this that’s something to applaud. While debut was pretty much Melodic Hard / AOR influenced by the 80s / 90s, their second turned heavier still retaining melody.
New album’s title “Transition” speaks for itself: again a different sound approach with all the ingredients previously known spiced with new things.

Indeed, Art Nation seems to be in a transition to a more modern sound, at places heavy melodic akin Dynazty, at others pretty theatrical, at others catchy poppy melodic rock with Eurovision appeal.
And all well put together.

I think the best song ro represents Art Nation 2019 is ‘Not Alone’. The guitar riffs are heavy yeat clean, the verses feel elaborated with some Jono type of construction, and the chorus is catchy melodic.
All over the album this mixture appears in one form or another resulting in a varied & heterogeneous collection of songs, however cohesive, solid as whole.

Surprisingly there’s no ballads on “Transition”, but if you get this Japanese edition, ‘One Is Better Than No One’ does the trick. Honestly, why they didn’t added this song to the regular tracklist is a mystery to me.
Not only is one of the best numbers here but also provides even more variation to this already diverse release, and placed as track #5 as example, it would balanced the material even more.

Perhaps Art Nation’s “Transition” will divide previous fans of the band, but for the melodic hard rock audience in general this is a really welcomed album from a band that try something different all the time avoiding generic songwriting / arrangements.
Kudos to Alexander Strandell & Co.
Highly Recommended

01 – Fallen Worlds
02 – Tick Tock
03 – Firefly
04 – Infected
05 – The Cure
06 – Not Alone
07 – Who We Are
08 – Blaze the Trail
09 – Cracks In the Sky
10 – Open
JAPAN BONUS TRACK:
11 – One Is Better Than No One

Alexander Strandell – Vocals
Sam Soderlindh – Guitar
Mia Moilanen – Guitar
Ola Thuresson – Bass
Alexander Lundgren – Drums

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www.cdjapan.co.jp/product/MICP-11512