Legacy Swedish AOR act Alien deliver their seventh studio album here, the first to see them turn their traditional style on its head in an attempt to reach a new crowd.
So Alien have ‘gone metal’ here, albeit metal with a strong melodic edge and the unmistakable voice of Jim Jidhed reminding us of their true AOR origins.
I’ve seen some very mixed fan responses to this and my initial reaction was very negative. However, despite an absolutely horrendous production (yes, that issue again and a pretty consistent theme of the last 3 Alien albums), there are some great songs on here to enjoy.
I do think the guys are having a bet both ways, with the album split between the new hard rock sound and several lighter AOR songs that could have come from any previous album.
It’s a hard call – do you fully embrace a new sound with all the risks that entails, or do you try and do something different and mix in the old sound to try and keep old fans happy.
Hard to make a cohesive album with two different styles and I think that’s what holds this album back. Not to mention that Jim really struggles vocally on some of the heavier numbers, especially the painful to listen to What Are We Fighting For and Into The Future.
Of the ‘metal’ songs I really like the opening salvo of You Still Burn and Night Of Fire, the band don’t sound any better than they do on these two tracks.
On the other hand, ‘classic’ Alien can be heard with the more keyboard friendly Time Is Right, Freedom Wind and Fallin Way Down.
It’s a mixed album with mixed results and yes, mixed feelings. I think I’ll probably pick a few tunes here and there for separate playlists, but as a start to finish album, there’s something not quite right about ‘metal’ Alien and the production/mix is very muddy to say the least.
Any Jim Jidhead record is a good record and to have the original Alien back together lifts expectations higher than normal.
Thankfully the Swedish AOR Gods deliver – big time. This album sees direct comparison to their hailed classic self-titled debut. They really seem to have recaptured the magic fans hoped for.
Pure Scandi-AOR, delivered with a strong production and layers of vocals over guitars and keyboards galore….it just doesn’t get better for the pink and fluffy brigade.
This is old-school AOR – mid-80s styled, with a good mix and some very catchy songs. Jim Jidhed sounds great, as does the rest of the band in their respective roles.
This is a very consistent album with enough differences between the songs to make things interesting. The tempo is largely up, aside from a couple of big ballads – I Believe and the stark In Truth are both excellent. The mid-tempo ballad I’m A Fighter also appeals.
Elsewhere around the album, highlights include the terrific opening In Love We Trust; the fast moving Unbroken; the classic AOR of Love Will Lead Me Home and the warmth of Summer Of Love plus the feel good Liar Liar.
The only song that doesn’t really strike a chord with me is the jangly keyboard driven What Goes Up, whose chorus and keyboard fill are both kinda of annoying.
The Bottom Line
Strike another one up for the Swedes. Surely it can’t keep coming without end in sight? Well, regardless of that, let’s enjoy these releases while we can. Quality like this helps fans of the glory days of the 80s continue without any need to move into the now. Welcome back Alien – nice to have you around again.
Even though the self-titled ALIEN debut is 31 years old now it has lost nothing of its magic. In particular the two anthems “Only One Woman” and “Tears Don’t Put Out The Fire” are still a wet dream for any AOR fan.
This digitally remastered reissue contains the original Scandinavian version with Jim Jidhed on vocals as well as the later US-version with new singer Pete Sandberg on vocals on some songs.
Furthermore the re-release contains the two bonus tracks “Feel My Love” and “Touch My Fire” which make this album even more essential.
Strictly limited repressing of 1000 copies, only available through the AOR Heaven mail-order via www.aorheaven.com
CD1: 1988 – Alien (Scandinavian Edition)
1. Brave New Love - 3:53, 2. Tears Don't Put Out The Fire - 4:09, 3. Go Easy - 3:39, 4. I've Been Waiting - 5:03, 5. Jaime Remember - 4:41, 6. . Feel My Love - 3:46, 7. Only One Woman - 4:12, 8. Wings Of Fire - 3:23, 9. Dying By The Golden Rule - 3:49, 10. Touch My Fire - 3:58, 11. Dreamer - 4:40, 12. Mirror - 4:29: bonus tracks: 13. Feel My Love (Polar session outtake) - 3:52, 14. Touch My Fire (Polar session outtake) - 3:51
CD2: 1989 – Alien (US Edition)
1. Tears Don't Put Out The Fire (Remix) - 4:32, 2. Go Easy (Remix) - 3:48, 3. I've Been Waiting (Remix) - 5:09, 4. Jaimie Remember - 4:43, 5. Feel My Love (Remix) - 3:45, 6. Only One Woman (Remix) - 4:34, 7. Brave New Love - 4:00, 8. The Air That I Breathe - 4:36, 9. Touch My Fire - 4:06, 10. Now Love - 4:25
Frontiers Music Srl is pleased to announce the signing of KEE OF HEARTS, a new band project built around two true melodic rock superstars: Tommy Heart, singer of Fair Warning and Kee Marcello, former Europe guitarist!
With a line-up rounded out by Ken Sandin (Alien) on bass and Italian drummer Marco Di Salvia (Pino Scotto), the guys started working on the album in late 2016. With their songwriting strongly focused on melodic rock songs, the album came to completion under the direction of producer Alessandro Del Vecchio and covers a wide spectrum of styles with a lot of attention given to crafting great hooks delivered by musicians that know how to deliver the goods!
Musically, the band operates in a territory defined by Scandinavian AOR meeting German melodic hard rock with influences from the classic U.S. AOR giants (think Giant, Journey, etc.).
All in all, an unmissable release and a highlight of the melodic rock scene! The album is planned for release in the late summer.
AOR Heaven will issue albums from Alien singer JIM JIDHED and Swedish Melodic Rock band SWEET MARY JANE on january 27.
Jim Jidhed - “Push On Through”
Jim Jidhed, the singer of the band Alien singer, will release his 6th solo album on January 27.
‘Push On Through’ is a heavier record than the previous ones. It still has the mark of AOR to it, but also a straight hard rock feeling at times. Producer Daniel Flores, who had a vision for this album, really nails that vision sound wise. Jim’s voice is stronger than ever at 53, and here all his experience, feeling, heart and soul come together in a very powerful way.
Jidhed was born 1963 in Gothenburg, Sweden. He began playing and singing around the age of ten, and formed his first real band when he was 12-13 years old. At the time he was 16 he started a group called ‘Glamour’, and it was with this band things began to get more serious. 1982, at the age of nineteen, Jidhed released his first ever single with the band ‘Glamour’. The label was named ‘Polar’ and the woman who signed the band was Marie Andersson, daughter of Stickan (ABBA ) Andersson.
In 1986 Jidhed wrote a musical and played that in the spring of ‘87. At the same time, in December ’86, he teamed up with a new Swedish band that took the name ‘Alien’. Alien released two singles during ‘87, ‘Headstrong’ and ‘ I’ll Survive’, and by the fall they recorded ‘Only One Woman’ at ‘Polar’ studio. Alien recorded their first album early in ’88, at ‘Sound City’ studios in Los Angeles, and just a bit later that year they got a huge hit with ‘Only One Woman’ and headlined a big tour the full spring and summer. For personal reasons Jim left the band in the fall of 1988.
Between 1989 and 2005, the Swedish born singer released five solo albums until he and the original members from Alien teamed up once more, after over twenty years. They released a single, ‘Ready to fly’, and began playing some selected shows, performing (the songs of) their debut album. They decided to write a new album, and released ‘ Eternity’ in 2014.
Jim released his fifth solo album in December 2015, titled ‘Tankar i vinternatten’. It’s kind of a Christmas record, but with Swedish lyrics more into to the depth of things surrounding Christmas, and the state of mind of people around that time of year.
This year 2016, Johan Nyhlén - a true fan of Jim, Alien and the AOR genre - introduced Jim to producer Daniel Flores. Daniel had wanted to work with Jidhed for a long time, and now the two of them hooked up. ‘Push On Through’ is an album that, from the beginning, was meant to sound different from anything Jim has done in the past. And for sure, Daniel has made that happen. Daniel, who played the drums on the album himself, produced a heavier and tougher sound.
Further, on the release you find Ken Sandin (Alien) playing the bass, guitars were performed by Michael Palace and Philip Lindstrand, and Rolf Pilotti took care of the backing vocals. Jim's son Robin Jidhed was both the engineer and sounding board when Jim recorded his lead vocals.
Sweet Mary Jane was formed in the summer of 2012 in Sundsvall, Sweden, by Tomas Nässlin (ex, Roulette), Per Olof Åsberg (ex-Airborn) and young talents Alexander Olsson (ex-Anacondah) and Andreas Sparby (ex-L.A.C.K.).
They wrote the song “Fire in your eyes” with Tomas Lundgren from Roulette that Nässlin had kept in touch with from his time in the band. Later on Tomas Berggren (ex-Razamanaz) stepped up to take over the vocals. Tomas is the brother of Stefan Berggren who is known from Berggren Kerslake band, Grand Slam and also Snakes In Paradise.
The wide variety of musical influences really shows a great AOR sound that the band is really proud of. Lars Chriss of Lions Share produced their debut album “Winter In Paradise”.
Reformed Swedish AOR legends Alien have entered #75 at the official national Swedish sales charts and #4 at the Swedish metal charts with their critically acclaimed comeback album “Eternity” which was released on AOR Heaven on April 25. Well done guys!
The album also gets fave rave reviews – here are some quotes:
“A melodic rock masterpiece!” (Rock Hard, Germany)
“"Eternity" ist ein bärenstarkes Melodic-Rock-Album mit enorm hohem Wiedererkennungswert geworden und bringt die Herren wieder dorthin, wo sie vor einem Vierteljahrhundert schon einmal waren: nach ganz oben!“ (powermetal.de, Germany, 9/10 points)
“It deserves to be placed between Signal's 1989 Loud And Clear and Survivor's 1984 Vital Signs in the record collection of every self-respecting AOR fan.” (Hardrockhaven.net, USA)
“Released on the aptly titled AOR Heaven label, "Eternity" attests to the love and passion that never fades over time or distance like it sez in the Survivor like 'Burning Heart' - Alien are truly back and with a number one album!” (Battle Helm)
ViriAOR (Spain, 10/10 points); Metal4all.net (Spain, 9,5/10 points); Nu Rocks (Spain, 5/5 points); Rock Angels (Spain, 5/5 points); Metal-integral.com (France, 8,5/10 points); Rockmeeting.com (France, 5/5 points); Metal-temple.com (Greece, 9/10 points); Melodicrock.it (Italy, 9,5/10 points); Planet AOR (Sweden, 9,5/10 points); Metal Underground (Austria, 5/5 points)…and many more!
