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FM: Synchronized
FM - Synchronized Art

FM: Synchronized

Melodic Hard Rock/AOR
4.5/5.0

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Frontiers Music
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 08.04.2020 | Released: 22.05.2020*

Many people get second chances in life. Not so much with bands that thrive early, then dissolve quickly, often never to be heard from again. In the case of England's FM, their second musical life has been both remarkable and ambitious, and doesn't appear to be slowing down anytime soon. Since resurrecting in 2007, FM has dropped seven studio albums, one live CD/DVD, and toured consistently, hitting many of Europe's biggest festivals. A landmark arrived for the band when they played in the USA for the first time in 2018, headling Melodic Rock Fest 5 in Chicago. Now the quintent returns with their twelfth studio album, Synchronized.

FM - Click For Larger Image

FM

As the saying goes, FM needs little introduction, so I won't bore you with long details about their sound. Simply said, FM continues to play traditional and classic melodic hard rock, neatly wrapped in arena-ready AOR accessibility. So let's move on and speak to some of tunes within Synchronized. (Or you can simply skip my babble and pre-order the album. You won't be disappointed.)

FM doesn't shy from putting the "hard" into their melodic hard rock. Some edgier riff rockers arrive with Pray, Hell Of High Water, Ready For Me, and Superstar. A song like Broken gets a push from piano and synths before dropping into some strong riffs and tight guitar lines. Alternatively, a definitive piano line directs Ghosts Of You And I, a soft ballad with a lingering guitar line traversing the arrangement as well. Some twist between a Hammond and church organ develops the heavy steady rocker End Of Days. It's also a song to mention the characteristic soulful smoothness of Steve Overland's voice. His soulfulness rises to meet and led the bluesy, slow burning, rocker Angels Cried, which also features a lilting blues piano line. Finally, AOR melodic hard rock requires one sin qua non, the strong guitar solo, and Jim Kirkpatrick delivers the goods.

All said, once more and as expected, with Synchronized, FM delivers another well-crafted and quite satisfying album of their classic AOR melodic hard rock. And again, as usual, easily recommended.

*Please note that due to the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, the release date for FM's Synchronized has been moved ahead to late May.



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The Bottom Line

Once more and as expected, with Synchronized, FM delivers another well-crafted and quite satisfying album of their classic AOR melodic hard rock. And again, as usual, easily recommended.

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