SAFFIRE – For The Greater Good [Redux] (2024) *HQ*

Back in 2015, Swedish Hard Rockers SAFFIRE released their awesome album For The Greater Good via AOR Heaven Records. Now 2024, with AOR Heaven defunct, they are reissuing the CD as ”For The Greater Good [Redux]”, where they did a remix of the entire recording.
Not that the original mix was bad, but rather due to the fact that the original release felt sonically different than desired. With this remix, the band was able to add new production ingredients that elevates the already stupendous album to new heights. Melodic “Old-School” Hard Rock & Metal, with today’s sound.
Highly praised worldwide, the first album from Swedes combined melodic hard rock with AOR in equal parts. But for their second effort “For The Greater Good” the guys have gone even further; this is a fascinating melodic hard rock album exploring many territories and melodies through inventive arrangements and sounds.

“For The Greater Good” is a pumped up and fast flowing take on AOR with that sentiment at its heart, but with a strong injection of pace and a little bit of grit thrown in too. This is rockier, heavier and has more depth than “simple” AOR. If you want clean and fresh melodic hard rock with brains, then this is in must have territory.
The first couple of tracks are really good rockers showing Saffire members prowess as musicians with soaring vocals, strong arrangements and an anthemic feel.

But then arrives title track “For The Greater Good”… wow … this is killer, devastating, captivating melodic hard rock piece with truly original arrangements, variation and kick. The multi-part harmonies will blow you away, the riffs are to die for and the solo is a blast. Think Erik Martensson’s Eclipse, Dynazty, Kymera… yes, this is that good.
Same with the haunting verses of follower “Heartless”, a calmer AOR piece with clean guitars but then explodes into a fantastic pumping chorus. Again… WOW.

“Dandelion’s Shame” is heavier, with a lot of bite, but catchy as hell, just listen that prime chorus. “Shadowland” turn thing even harder with a groovy classic riff, epic vocals and swirling keyboards.
One think I want to mention about this new Saffire albums are the keyboards: most are classic organ-like – not synth sounding – which adds a special aura to the album, and works greatly.

More quality arrives with the broken “Wake Up the World” (with som Coldspell on it!), “As Promises Burn” brings a delicate midtempo yet farrr from the common, elaborated and juicy.
“Blame It on the Rain” brings catchy, rapid AOR to the table with an irresistible riff / chorus combination, “Ghost Town” rips your ears with a monster groove – and then the guys surprise again with a peculiar chorus, before the superb “This Is Not the End” ends the CD on high note as well with a semi-ballad feel but plenty of magic.

Saffire’s “For The Greater Good [Redux]” will drop your jaw and your melodic hard rock heart happy.
One of the greatest things of this album (among many) is that whilst the songs are vaguely scripted along expected lines, there is endless variety in them. There are plenty of changes of pace and attitude with some genuine diversions on the way. This fresh remix envigorates even more the whole thing.
I’d say there’s a word which perfectly describes this album: “momentum”. The guys in Saffire are masters in that, you know what I mean? That special moment in a song when you say; wow! There’s a plenty in this terrific CD.
A Must Have

01 – The Great Escape (Redux)
02 – Casters Of The First Stone (Redux)
03 – For The Greater Good (Redux)
04 – Heartless (Redux)
05 – Dandelion’s Shame (Redux)
06 – Shadowland (Redux)
07 – Wake Up The World (Redux)
08 – As Promises Burn (Redux)
09 – Blame It On The Rain (Redux)
10 – Ghost Town (Redux)
11 – This Is Not The End (Redux)

Tobias Jansson – Vocals
Victor Olsson – Guitars
Dino Zuzic – Keyboards
Magnus Carlsson – Bass
Anton Roos – Drums

Pre order:
napalmrecords.com/english/saffire-for-the-greater-god-redux-digipak-cd.html