SAFFIRE – For The Greater Good (2015)

Highly praised worldwide – and in this blog too – the first album from Swedes SAFFIRE 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 new Saffire albums is being released by AOR Heaven Records, but believe me, 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 some 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” will leave you with your jaw dropped 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.
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.

What a great year for the genre has been so far… add Saffire’s “For The Greater Good” to the ‘best of’ list.
A Must Have.

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

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

BUY IT !
www.aorheaven.com/index.php/englisch_b/saffire-for-the-greater-good.html
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