SIGNAL RED – Alien Nation (2020)
“Alien Nation” is SIGNAL RED‘s second album, featuring vocalist Lee Small (LIONHEART, SHY), guitarist / keyboardist Steve Grocott (TEN, SEVEN DAYZ) and Steve Newman (NEWMAN). Mastered by Steve Mann (MSG, LIONHEART) and co-produced by Grocott / Newman, the quality of this team is without of question.
Of course you need good songs, and “Alien Nation” is even stronger than the band’s debut material: bright Melodic Hard Rock with a classic feeling and AOR spirit.
Fans of the genre will not be disappointed with this track list. Some fast rockers arrive with ‘Email To God’, ‘Ghosts’, ‘Rocket Fuel’, and ‘Wide Awake In Dreamland’, a song loaded with strong Grocott guitar lines.
Lovely piano lines are featured within ‘Insomnia’ and ‘Pure Shores’, both songs rising heavy and dense for a strong arena anthem presence. Something a bit heavier, perhaps even more dark, comes with ‘Dance Macabre’ wherein the riffs are swollen with synths and strings for an immense, even looming, musical presence. A song like this reminds me of Grocott’s work with TEN.
A final mention should be made of the fine production of this album. Considering the breadth and depth of Grocott’s song arrangements, a capable singer could be swallowed up within them, a lesser singer completely obliterated. But Small’s voice shines, and rises with strength and power, becoming a major compliment to every composition.
“Alien Nation” is another powerful album of entertaining melodic hard rock from the talented Lee Small and Steve Grocott.
With many releases out there sometimes we don’t pay proper attention to some – “Alien Nation” is one of these, get the time to hear the interesting arrangements, and enjoy ’em.
Don’t Miss this one.
01 – Wide Awake in Dreamland
02 – Email to God
03 – Insomnia
04 – Dance Macabre
05 – Invisible Scars
06 – Ghosts
07 – Rocket Fuel
08 – Awakenings
09 – Tide of Life
10 – Pure Shores
11 – Alien Nation
12 – Standing on the Top of the World
Lee Small – vocals
Steve Grocott – guitars, keyboards
Steve Newman – bass
Daniel Zaman – drums
Pre Order:
www.banquetrecords.com/signal-red/alien-nation/ESM346
