NIGHTFOX – White Cobra (2021)
To be released by Lions Pride Music, ”White Cobra” is the debut album from NIGHTFOX, an ’80s band freeze in the ice of North Norway… no, not at all, but it sounds like if we still are in 1987.
Nightfox is a fictional band-project from Trondheim, Norway, created by multi-instrumentalist / songwriter Erik Winther; he performs everything here and let me tell you that ”White Cobra” has a very good sound quality, and even better, there’s great songs sporting that classic melodic hard rock / AOR style.
Originally established as a synthwave-project in 2012, Nightfox decided to take a turn towards hard rock around 2017. The sound is mainly inspired by the great hard rock bands from the 1980’s where the focus is kept on roaring riffs, blazing guitar solos, synth splashes and melodious vocals.
Earlier, during writing of songs that were supposed to be synthwave, it often used to go in the direction of 80’s-inspired rock anyway, so going down that path was rather easy. After a while there were enough instrumentals to release an EP which was planned for 2018, but had to be postponed due to personal reasons.
In the background there was also a thought that the songs would sound a lot better with vocals.
From 2019 to 2020 new songs were made, and “old” ones refreshed as lyrics were being written and recorded by a hired singer. An album started to take shape, and the plan was to release the songs one by one as they were finished.
The first single “Ride the Sky Tonight” was released in early March 2020 and Nightfox was shortly after contacted by Lions Pride Music record label offering a deal. That marks the point when the plan of releasing the songs one by one was scrapped, and a definite plan of “White Cobra” truly came to life.
”White Cobra” is a very enjoyable trip back to the ’80s, and you can hear Winther’s love for the genre paying attention to detail, even to re-create the clichés which made ’80s glammy melodic hard rock / AOR so fun.
HIGHLY Recommended
01 – Dream Come True
02 – Resurrection
03 – Ride the Sky Tonight
04 – White Cobra
05 – Your Broken Heart
06 – Phoenix
07 – Storm Fighter
08 – What Matters in the End
Nightfox: Erik Winther: All Instruments & Programming
PRE Order
www.amazon.co.uk/White-Cobra-Nightfox/dp/B092BNS35G
www.emp-online.com/p/white-cobra/503870.html