ALLIANCE – Fire And Grace [Escape Music reissue] (2025) *HQ*
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As requested, here’s the recent reissue of “Fire And Grace”, a comeback album of sorts for wonderful act ALLIANCE.
Ex HUSH, SIX BY SIX, et all Robert Berry (vocals, bass, keyboards), BOSTON guitarist Gary Pihl and drummer David Lauser (SAMMY HAGAR BAND), got together again after 10 years for the recordeing of this album. Only missing from the previous albums is former NIGHT RANGER keyboard player Alan ‘Fitz’ Gerald, however Robert Berry proves more than adept at tinkling the old ivories.
There are plenty of melodic hard rockers on ”Fire And Grace [Escape Music reissue 2025]” to grab your attention, be it the funky bass lines on the good-time rocker ‘The Wheel’ – Gary Pihl has a great time on the slide solo battling away with a bit of harmonica – or the title track, driven along nicely by the drums of Lauser and plenty of Berry harmonies.
‘Raise Your Glass’ rocks with an anthemic feeling, then ‘Fast Forward to Last Night’ delivers the brand of melodic rock sound made circa 1991.
‘Good Life’ recalls those ’80s melodic rock tunes that bands like NIGHT RANGER and LOVERBOY did so well, an album stand out plenty of synths where the band add that classic AOR touch in pumping the verses and the summer-ready chorus.
‘Real Thing’ wouldn’t look out of place on a POWER STATION album, a nice funky groove on this one. Then ALLIANCE brings some lite, melodic progressive arrangements to ‘Uncertain’ (a highlight), adorned with fine synths and an ASIA / GTR sound.
Of course there are a couple of ballads / slower moments, ‘Change Of Heart’ shows off Berry’s melodious vocals, whilst the bluesy, acoustically mixed ‘The Same’ features another fine solo from Gary Pihl.
Faithful to their brand of elaborated yet catchy & accessible melodic rock, ALLIANCE sounds confident on ‘Fire And Grace’, armed with very solid songwriting and arrangements. And of course, musicianship is great.
A really good, creative comeback album from ALLIANCE, and hopefully they won’t leave it quite so long until their next album.
Highly Recommended
01. Don’t Stop the Wheel Turning
02. Good Life
03. Uncertain
04. I’ll Have Some of That
05. Fire and Grace
06. Raise Your Glass
07. Time
08. Real Thing
09. Reason to Walk Away
10. Fast Forward to Last Night
11. Change of Heart
12. The Same
13. You Are the Heros
Robert Berry: All vocals, Bass and keyboards (Solo artist, GTR)
Gary Pihl: All Guitars (Boston, Sammy Hagar)
David Lauser: Drums (Sammy Hagar And The Waboritas)
BUY
www.amazon.com/dp/B0F4DMP4Y4
