ADELLAIDE – New Horizons (2019)

Distilling their true love for classic AOR / Melodic Rock inspired by the likes of Journey, Survivor, Foreigner or newer acts such as Lionville or Care Of Night, ADELLAIDE are releasing today their new album “New Horizons”.
Adellaide surprised with their promising debut EP and a year later with a full length effort, and this sophomore release showcases an even more confident band both in songwriting and performances.

The first thing that impress on “New Horizons” is the polished arrangements, even better that on the first album. Frontman Daniel Vargas is a guy with a privileged voice, a fantastic tone for the style that perfectly fit these melodious compositions. The keys of Leandro Freitas are always doing something in the background to embellish the songs, and here’s one of the highlights of Adellaide’s sound; well placed synths / keys creating that classy AOR atmosphere.

‘Robotic’ is the proper song chosen to open this kind of album; it ticks all boxes for the AOR genre with an atmospheric synth arrangement, great rhythm guitars, a pumping bass lines and clear, smooth vocals.
Follower “Times Hotel’ is even better, and an album highlight. A midtempo tune with elegant clean guitars, emotional vocals and interesting percussion patterns like a mix of Toto and Care Of Night. Far from ordinary, this is one of the best elaborated AOR song of the year.

More variation comes with ‘Nightfalls’ adding that magic keyboards in the vein of 1987’s Strangeways, then with ‘Tonight (Once in a Lifetime)’ we have another highlight. This ballad is plenty of emotion, with pianos and sweet guitars, and where Vargas sounds like Johnny Gioeli. It’s that good, believe me.
Next, ‘Ring of Saturn’ is a fantastic slice of pure AOR, done with imagination, pulsating arrangements, heavenly keys, elegant guitars and again, a terrific vocal work.

You indeed will ‘Smile’ with this lovely track, which to my ears is inspired by The Storm mixing that classy ’80s synths with an early ’90s melodic rock plenty of magic. Seriously, all the guys in Adellaide are really talented, and it shows.
Oh, and if keyboard runs is your type of AOR thing, wait to hear ‘It’s Just a Matter of Time’. Love this!
More, and more pure ’80s AOR influences come with ‘Oceania’, this time with a British feeling both is the song skeleton and harmony vocals arrangements. And these keys… Leandro Freitas is a true revelation in this matter.

Somehow, ‘Paradise Grace’ brings to my mind Survivor, perhaps due the way the rhythm section is cleverly glued, but also the verses and the stupendous chorus.
And while all good things come to an end, Adellaide does it closing the album with another great tune, the breezy ‘Together Again’, a smooth melodic rocker with some Tall Stories on it.

Adellaide really reach ‘New Horizons’ with this new album, not only their best work to date but also one of the best AOR albums of the year. Alongside the classy influences, these guys add imagination to their compositions. And that set them apart from the ‘by numbers’ formula.
You can’t miss ‘New Horizons’, a terrific slice of AOR / Melodic Rock of the highest order.
HATS OFF

01 – Robotica
02 – Times Hotel
03 – Nightfalls
04 – Tonight (Once in a Lifetime)
05 – Ring of Saturn
06 – Smile
07 – It’s Just a Matter of Time
08 – Oceania
09 – Paradise Grace
10 – Together Again

Daniel Vargas (Vocal)
Leandro Freitas (Keyboards)
Cadu Yamazaki (Bass)
Vitor Balconi (Guitars)
Herbert Loureiro (Drums)

BUY IT
www.amazon.co.uk/New-Horizons-Adellaide/dp/B07XN1JFDK