A PERFECT DAY – With Eyes Wide Open (2020)
Taking a look at the cover art of “With Eyes Wide Open”, the new A PERFECT DAY album, it would led you to believe this is a complex collection of progressive metal tunes tinged with a gothic overtones. Wrong.
“With Eyes Wide Open” is a listener friendly, modern melodic rock album that has ample aspects of edge, as well as sheen. It takes elements from current metal, but also classic hard rock, and even some pop.
The heavier tracks, such as the opening one-two punch of “Pull Me Out” and “Give It Away” have some fat sounding fuzz guitar tones and pleasant vocals stacks on the chorus. The songs are catchy and very easy to grasp, which may prove to reduce their shelf life over time, but they do make a positive initial impression.
The third track, “Whatever You Want Me…” takes an unexpected lighter tone with acoustic guitar at the forefront. It’s a well-written ballad, but a bit of a jarring move coming in after the heavier two openers to the record. I was initially confused by the style shift, but the band executes this lighter handed love song well and its hummable chorus finds singer Marco Baruffetti sounding a bit like John Elefante in spots (and this is a good thing).
Things turned heavier again with “Starlight,” which features some shimmering vocal harmonies butted up against a riffy rhythm track that also features the swirling guitar solo.
Production wise, the record is a cohesive sounding mix with a lot of warm distorted guitar tones and a punchy rhythm section bed that is solid and driving without drawing too much attention away from the vocal harmonies and primary electric guitar lines.
A PERFECT DAY walk the line skillfully between being heavy and melodic, and “Mama Said” is a pretty good representation of what this band offers on the heavier rock side.
“The Hideaway” is a slightly elaborated with a notably more prevalent drumming performance that demands more attention than much of the rest of the record, and though the track isn’t necessarily complex, the band sounds tight and precise, in part due to the layer of warmer production.
“The Love We’ve Waited” is another acoustic based ballad / midtempo, with an instantly likeable chorus.
“The Roots” is also a bit different sounding from the rest of the record, with a modern power pop vibe, then “In My Room” is a slinky rocker that grooves and bounces with energy that would likely translate really well in a live setting. “All My Life” wraps up the record with a more relaxed and uplifting tone that is a tad plodding, but benefits from a couple tasteful solos and an overall hopeful vibe to end the record on an up note.
“With Eyes Wide Open” stands on its own as a polished rock record with instantly accessible melodies and solid vocals harmonies that are hooky and quick to take root. A PERFECT DAY tries to balance modernity with classic here, and succeeded creating a product with a wide-range age appeal.
Highly Recommended
01. Pull Me Out
02. Give It Away
03. Whatever You Want Me (To Do)
04. Starlight
05. Mama Said
06. The Hideaway
07. The Love We’ve Waited
08. The Roots
09. In My Room
10. All Of My Life
Marco Baruffetti – Vocals, Guitar
Andrea Cantarelli – Guitar
Gigi Andreone – Bass
Alessandro Bissa – Drums
BUY IT
www.amazon.co.uk/Eyes-Wide-Open-Perfect-Day/dp/B08GLQNL86
