Acacia Avenue – Cold (2014)

Danish guitar player, Torben Enevoldsen (FATE, FATAL FORCE, SECTION A) is back with a great follow-up to the first ACACIA AVENUE disc.  He has some very talented vocalists (that have also helped out with co-writing) on board that really make this release a true step above the debut!  Enevoldsen also plays bass, keyboards and supplies backing vocals to the entire release and has enlisted Dennis Hansen from the band FATAL FORCE on drum duties.

The disc opens with the very strong Hard Rocking track, “Time”, featuring Steve Newman. Some other strong tracks on “Cold” are “Freedom From Doubt” featuring Pete Sundell and another song featuring the aforementioned Steve Newman entitled “Angelina” (with perhaps the catchiest chorus on the disc). I’d venture as far to say that there are truly no weak tracks on offer here, but some are a little poppier and didn’t appeal to me as much…

Torben Enevoldsen’s guitar playing is nothing short of fantastic! Just about all the songs on this release are loaded with hooks and the solos are all very soulful, tasty and melodic! Although he can shred like Yngwie Malmsteen or Paul Gilbert, the guitar solos add to the songs instead of being the centerpiece. AOR Heaven has a great artist on their roster and I’d be quite surprised if this release doesn’t end up on a lot of 2014’s best of lists!

01. Time
02. Love Will Survive
03. It’s Over
04. Out Of The Business
05. Signs Of Love
06. Cold
07. Angelina
08. You And I
09. Calling Out
10. How Many Nights
11. Freedom From Doubt

Rob Moratti – Vocals
Steve Newman – Vocals
Albin Ljungqvist – Vocals
Mikael Roupé – Vocals
Torben Lysholm – Vocals
Peter Sundell – Vocals
Nicklas Sonne – Vocals
Torben Enevoldsen – Guitars, bass, keyboards., vocals
Lars Frandsen-Melau – piano on ”Cold”, Dennis Hansen – Drums
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