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Vega: Stereo Messiah

AOR/Melodic Hard Rock

5.0/5.0

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Frontiers Records
Words: Craig Hartranft  Added: 08.10.2014

Maybe we should just cut to the chase at the start. Buy this album. If you dig classic AOR melodic hard rock, Vega's third album Stereo Messiah is pretty fandamntastic. The band came out swinging, going for the fences, with another platter full of arena ready rock anthems. This album may be the messiah to save your stereo from the shit of modern rock music.

Vega: no long hair here.

Everything about this album is huge. The arrangements are large, with guitars and synths abounding in melody, the rhythm section steady and heart pounding, and the vocal arrangements lush and emotional. (Nick Workman has one of the best voices in rock today.) All this is wrapped up in groove, smooth and toe-tapping, and some of the finest, catchiest hooks, in lyrics and arrangement you'll find anywhere.

Largely, from start to finish, every song is simply terrific. Ear candy, plain and simple. Are vocals your thing? Then latch onto The Wild The Weird The Wonderful, Neon Heart, or the amazing Ballad of the Broken Hearted. Dig guitar solos? Find them in every song, but notable in Neon Heart, Stereo Messiah, Ballad of the Broken Hearted, or All Or Nothing. Need a big ballad? Here's Tears Never Dry. I could go on, but you know the drill for what makes AOR melodic rock shine great. Even better, there's no filler here. Even the weakest song here, 10x Bigger Than Love, written by Def Leppard's Joe Elliot (who duets with Workman), with it's weird sitar notes, can't diminish the strength of this album. Everything about Vega's Stereo Messiah is impressive, powerful, and immediately entertaining. Strongly recommended.

Vega - My Anarchy (Official Track)

Note: All Amazon advertising in this review first benefits the artist, then Craig Hartranft also receives a residual. Click, and thanks for your support.

For great AOR melodic rock, everything about Vega's Stereo Messiah is impressive, powerful, and immediately entertaining. Strongly recommended.

Alphabetical Index

eviewing my archives, I was pleased to find that I have had the privilege to review every Lionville since their self-titled debut in 2011. Formed by Stefano Lionetti, a songwriter, singer and guitarist based in ... [ Read More ]