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Dreams Of Avalon: Beyond The Dream

Melodic Hard Rock/AOR

4.5/5.0

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Metalville Records
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 14.08.2020 | Released: 28.08.2020

You know Joachim Nordlund as the guitarist and one of the founding members of Swedish heavy power metal band Astral Doors. Since 2002, with Astral Doors, Nordlund has recorded nine studio albums. What you probably didn't know is that Nordland is a huge fan of Eightes classic melodic hard rock. With Astral Doors taking a musical hiatus, the multi-instrumentalist and songwriter decided to pen his own classic rock songs. The result is his first solo project Joachim Nordlund's Dreams Of Avalon and the debut album Beyond The Dream.

Joachim Nordlund

With one spin of Beyond The Dream, you'll know that Nordlund knows his favorite genre quite well. His songs have all the necessary classic melodic hard rock elements: strong song melody and harmony in the riffs and vocal arrangements, toe-tapping groove from the rhythm section, memorable refrains, and many blistering solos. All these things are then wrapped up in AOR, arena-ready, accessibility. And Nordlund is pretty good vocalist too.

Speaking to some of the tunes, you'll find all these elements well-blended within Under The Gun, For Cover, Stop, and the quite catchy To Paris And Back. In several songs, Nordlund drops in a notable synth layer as within Shining Light and Black Demons. With Bleed For Me, the song starts with some fine acoustic guitar, adds some synths, and then develops into an upbeat rocker with a memorable refrain. Surprisingly, Nordlund doesn't offer the listener a classic Eighties rock ballad. No worries. All said, with Beyond The Dream and his Dreams Of Avalon project, Joachim Nordlund offers listeners a vivid and entertaining album of classic AOR melodic hard rock. Fans of the genre will be pleased. Easily recommended.

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

With Beyond The Dream and his Dreams Of Avalon project, Joachim Nordlund offers listeners a vivid and entertaining album of classic AOR melodic hard rock. Fans of the genre will be pleased. Easily recommended.

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