FIGHTER V – Fighter (2019)
Just when it seemed the revival of the ’80s wave had reached the top and began to show signs of saturation, here we have some young Swiss guys keeping the flame alive with a debut album that is the quintessence of Eighties AOR / Melodic Rock: FIGHTER V and their first CD “Fighter”, tweaked by talented Swedish producer Jona Tee (keyboarder in H.E.A.T).
Everything in Fighter V, from the band’s logo to aesthetics and, of course, the music, is a celebration of that golden decade.
Pure and simple, “Fighter” is a collection of instant melodic rock hymns made for the arenas, spiced by luxury AOR melodies.
If you look at the circumstances under which Dave Niederberger (vocals) and Marco Troxler (guitar) laid the foundations for FIGHTER V on a Saturday evening, they almost resemble the cliché of an exaggerated autobiography of a rock star of the ’80s.
Just like every weekend, the two were drawn back to this bar in the middle of Lucerne’s old town. Long after midnight, a few beers were sure to flow, while the speakers were full of classics by Bon Jovi, Whitesnake, Journey, Survivor and Def Leppard.
It was this vivid sound which in the minds of the two young guys only led to one logical consequence: “We want to do that, too!”
Contrary to every trend and practically everything that could be heard on the radio, their common passion for rock music of the ’80s left no doubt from the beginning where the project should go.
Stadium rock without ifs and buts!
The band waste no time in delivering huge, massive anthems since the start with the thunderous “Dangerous”, and if you don’t have enough just check “Frontline” or “City Of Sinners”, killer pumping rockers that easily could’ve graced the Iron Eagle movie soundtrack back in 1986.
Perhaps it’s me, but tile track “Fighter” brings to my mind the Bon jovi sound circa ‘7800º Fahrenheit’, then more ‘action movie’ references appear with “Can’t Stop The Rock” which perfectly connects with the emblematic ‘No Easy Way Out’ by Robert Tepper.
Then Fighter V show the most pure AOR side with the delicious mid-paced “There She Goes”, on the other hand the band delivers their most rocking song in “Looking For Action”, an explosive cocktail mixing the ‘American’ Whitesnake and the most excessive Van Halen.
“Into The Night” is pure new wave of Scandi Melodic Rock, and you can hear Jona Tee’s hands here, a racing rocker in the vein of H.E.A.T with splashes of synths all over.
The ballad of the album and one of the highlights comes with “Save Your Love For Me”, with melodies carved in crystal keyboards and smooth vocal harmonies, pretty Americanized in style akin Danger Danger.
And, as the ’80s are also synonymous of partying and having fun, Fighter V closes the album with the punchy “Turn It Up”, rocking and radio-ready if we were in 1987.
Classic 80s Melodic Rock / AOR is alive 2019 and not only comes from Scandinavia: Swiss 5-piece Fighter V keeps the flame alive, young dudes with infinite passion for timeless rocking melodies.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
01 – Dangerous
02 – Frontline
03 – Heat Of The City
04 – Fighter
05 – Can’t Stop The Rock
06 – There She Goes
07 – Headlines
08 – Looking For Action
09 – City Of Sinners
10 – Into The Night
11 – Save Your Love For Me
12 – Turn It Up
David Niederberger – Vocals
Marco Troxler – Guitars
Luca Troxler – Bass
Lucien Egloff – Drums
Felix Commerell – Keyboards, Synthesizer
PRE ORDER:
www.amazon.co.uk/Fighter-V/dp/B07X141BS2
Definitely Top 10 this year, thank you! This band got the same lineup as Hairdryer except for keyboard player. Their CD “Off To Hairadise” was excellent as well.