Martin Brothers

Fri
20
May

VEGA - Who We Are (Review)

information persons: 
content: 
96%
Produced By: 
Vega
Release Date: 
2016
Released: 
Worldwide
Musical Style: 
Melodic Rock / AOR
Label: 
Frontiers
Artist: 
Score: 
96
Friday, May 13, 2016
Categories: 
Reviews
 
I love everything about this band– and this album. Their very British classic AOR sound; their edge of your seat pacing and those choruses! Always great choruses.
Vega are at the forefront of the British melodic rock scene. Vocalist Nick Workman has one of the most likeable voices in AOR.
It’s harder to pinpoint the band’s best album now that they are up to number four – they’ve all impressed for similar reasons.
Once again the band’s dynamic works some melodic magic and conjures up another 11 cracking chorus and hook driven songs that cannot be removed from your head.
And producer Harry Hess (yes, him!) brings some element of restraint to the band. I’ve said previously that Nick has the habit of sounding on ‘full’ – all the time. Here there is more light and shade with his vocals and I think it makes him sound even more impressive and also gives the songs more balance.
 
Explode moves faster than ever; We Got It All is darker and moodier; Every Little Monster is pure AOR bliss and Nothing Is Forever is a great power ballad.
White Flag uses the typical Vega build-and-explode method of chorus delivery; For Our Sins is more subtle, but is a terrific memorable melodic anthem; Generation Now turns on the angst and delivers another killer chorus and Ignite turns full-throttle moody.
 
Its throw your hands in the air anthem time with Saving Grace and the lighter feel good If Not You; with Hurt So Bad rounding out an album of anthemic greatness. A wonderful conclusion to an album with zero filler.
 
On the subject of production, I think the snare is not quite in sonic alignment with the deeper tone of the rhythm section, and the vocals continue to be too far down in the mix. But minor points amongst a hundred other positive superlatives.

Nothing I haven’t already said before about this great band – torch bearers for classic AOR and melodic rock in Britain, with enough of a modern edge to make them vital now, not just as another band riding on the past. Another clear winner and possibly their most consistent and anthem filled album yet.
 

 

 
Tue
23
Feb

VEGA Deliver 'Who We Are' May 13 on Frontiers

Artist: 
Friday, May 13, 2016
Categories: 
News Feed

Frontiers Music Srl is excited to announce the release of VEGA's fourth studio album 'Who We Are' on May 13.
 
VEGA is really one of the few bands who successfully manage to mix in their music the heritage of the great Melodic Rock bands of the 80's and 90's with a very contemporary approach to songwriting and production. VEGA is indeed one of the few bands that makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up and give you that butterflies in your stomach excitement as you listen to the songs on an album for the first time. And with their fourth studio album, 'Who We Are', once again for the Frontiers label, VEGA manage again to create a magic formula with 11 concise and riveting songs that rock from start to finish and will leave you wanting more!
 
'We always try to push the envelope with each record that we do and this one is no different. We have put in all of our different musical influences into every song and what has come out of it is undoubtedly VEGA but a VEGA that is bigger than ever!' says singer Nick Workman.
 
Brothers Tom and James Martin say: 'We're thrilled with how this record came out. We were in a fortunate position where we could fly Harry Hess over from Canada to produce the record. We spent the best part of 3 weeks with Harry at Monnow Valley Studios in Wales perfecting this record. There was laughter, blood, sweat and tears along the way and even a hospital visit, but what a great time we had! And to be recording where the likes of Queen, Led Zeppelin Official, Oasis and Black Sabbath have recorded was incredibly inspiring.'
 

'The ballad 'Nothing Lasts Forever' is a stand out for me,' adds keyboard player James Martin. 'It's a huge piano ballad with Queen and The Beatles influences and Harry really went to town on the production of this song.'
 
Tom Martin says: "This is probably our most diverse record and that's what we tried for when choosing the songs. Each song has its own identity and we probably have the heaviest and softest songs we have ever recorded and everything in between. That gives you an idea of how strong the material is on this record."
 
VEGA will embark on a tour upon the new album's release with UK Rock veterans MAGNUM. 'Who We Are' truly sees the band taking their song writing and performance to the next level. Be sure to catch the guys on tour!
 
'Who We Are' tracklisting includes: Explode; We Got It All; Every Little Monster; Nothing Is Forever; White Flag; For Our Sins; Generation Now; Ignite; Savin' Grace; If Not You; Hurts So Bad.
 
VEGA: 
Nick Workman - Vocals
Tom Martin - Guitars
Dan Chantrey - Drums
James Martin - Keyboards
Marcus Thurston ' Guitars
 
TOUR DATES: 
May 11, 2016 The Brook, Southampton (with MAGNUM)
May 12, 2016 The Tramshed, Cardiff (with MAGNUM)
May 13, 2016 Assembly Hall, Islington (with MAGNUM)
May 14, 2016 O2 Academy, Oxford (with MAGNUM)
May 16, 2016 The Waterfront, Norwich (with MAGNUM)
May 17, 2016 Rock City, Nottingham (with MAGNUM)
May 19, 2016 The Institute, Birmingham (with MAGNUM)
May 20, 2016 Picturedrome, Holmfirth (with MAGNUM)
May 21, 2016 O2 Academy 2, Manchester (with MAGNUM)
May 22, 2016 O2 Academy, Newcastle (with MAGNUM)
May 24, 2016 Garage, Aberdeen (with MAGNUM)
May 25, 2016 Garage, Glasgow (with MAGNUM)
May 27, 2016 Limelight, Belfast (with MAGNUM)
May 28, 2016 O2 Academy 2, Islington (only headline show)
May 29, 2016 O2 Academy, Bristol (with MAGNUM)
May 30, 2016 Assembly Rooms, Leamington Spa (with MAGNUM)
Jul 23, 2016 Steelhouse Festival 2016 (with Blues Pills, Fastway, The Darkness, etc.)

 

 
 
Fri
28
Nov

VEGA - Stereo Messiah (Review)

information persons: 
content: 
94%
Produced By: 
John Mitchell & Vega
Running Time: 
52
Release Date: 
2014
Released: 
Worldwide
Musical Style: 
Melodic Hard Rock
Label: 
Frontiers
Artist: 
Score: 
94
Friday, November 28, 2014
Categories: 
Reviews
 
I really dig these guys. They are already 2 for 2 and now they drop a third collection of uptempo, anthemic melodic rock, delivered with an unmistakable energy, mixing the very best of classic 80s stadium rock with a distinctly modern twist.
Its band like Vega and the likes of Heat, Degreed and Work Of Art that are the future of moving this scene forward.
If it was still 1987, Stereo Messiah would be wall to wall hit singles from start to finish. Each track has its own mood, but each track has a bombastic chorus and layers of guitar, keyboards and vocals. It’s almost as if each song is in competition with the tracks either side of it, taking on a competitive persona, trying to outdo each other as the album progresses.
This is basically 52 minutes of anthems. And that could be about the only possible issue anyone could raise. There isn’t a lot of space on the album for the listener to take a breather. Its relentless harmonies and hooks from start to finish. That’s a tough situation to be in!
 
It’s a complex album, so I’m going track by track:
 
Title track Stereo Messiah kicks off this 52 minute ride with a tempo and mood that builds, with plenty of programming and vocal effects giving the song a modern edge.
All Or Nothing is simply a perfect, bombastic, pomptastic, rocking AOR anthem. Driving keyboards, big vocals and some classy guitar soloing all are driven along by a pounding beat.
Whenever We Are has the same melodic base and fast moving tempo, but features an even more massive vocal through the chorus with Nick Workman wailing away.
Ballad Of The Broken Hearted is actually anything but a ballad – it’s a fast moving, very moody and dark rocker with another big (but moody) chorus.
Gonna Need Some Love Tonight is less intense and once it gets through the mellow melodic verse, it bursts to life with another huge anthemic chorus.
The Fall is another slick, dark, modern, moody melodic rocker with an instantly likable vocal and yes, another big melodic, full force chorus.
Neon Heart is a fast moving melodic rocker with a dramatic, emotional heart.
With Both Hands is another one of the band’s classic hands in the air stadium anthems, with layers and layers of keyboards and vocals and a moody, harmony filled choruses.
10x Bigger Than Love was a Def Leppard Bonus Track from the X album for some territories and covered here by the lads with Joe Elliott guesting on backing vocals and lead during the verse. It’s a change of pace for the album, noticeably more lighthearted than the rest of the material. It stands out for that reason, but is still a fun track.
My Anarchy is similar to a couple of other tunes on the album – a driving beat, a moody, punchy chorus and great vocals.
The Wild, The Weird, The Wonderful is a less intense, upbeat melodic rocker with a strong catchy chorus.
Tears Never Dry is a 6 minute slow, very intense ballad to close the album. Another left turn from the album in general, but a classy bit of songwriting with a great high impact chorus.
 

Huge vocals, layers and layers of guitars, keyboards and vocals and a relentless pace of anthemic modern melodic rock. That’s what awaits fans on Stereo Messiah.
Different people are going to compare it to the other 2 albums in different ways, each one having good reason to be declared the band’s best effort. I can’t separate them; I just think they are all great.

 

 
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