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March 2023

• Excalion: Once Upon A Time
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February 2023

• Air Raid: Fatal Encounter
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January 2023

• Girish & The Chronicles: Back On Earth (Reissue)
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December 2022

• NY Fury: I Want It All
• Tommy DeCarlo: Dancing In The Moonlight
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• Scream Maker: Bloodking
• Sabu: Banshee
• Rob Moratti: Epical
• Nevena: Nevena
• Landfall: Elevate
• After Lapse: Face The Storm

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Sapphire Eyes: Magic Moments

AOR Melodic Rock

4.0/5.0

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Pride & Joy Music
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 13.05.2020 | Released: 15.05.2020

My last turn with Sweden's Sapphire Eyes was nearly eight years ago. That's long enough to be placed in my "Where have they been" file. While started as a solo project by keyboard player Niclas Olsson (Alyson Avenue, Second Heat), the self-titled debut album found some considerable success. Enough so, that Olsson chose to put a band together made up of friends and familiar Swedish musicians, and the odd man out: Finnish vocalist Kimmo Blom (Leverage, Urban Tale). This crew produced Breath Of Ages, the second album, dropping in 2018. Now Sapphire Eyes returns with their third long player Magic Moments.

Sapphire Eyes

Essentially, Magic Moments is another platter of Sapphire Eyes' signature Eighties-style AOR melodic rock. Naturally, with a keyboard player at the helm as the principal songwriter, you can expect a large synth presence, from symphonic texture to wispy West coast style nuances to singular solos. You'll hear these things across the entire, but notable songs include Don't Walk Away, Magic Moment, Cutting Like A Knife and the closing ballad, All I Need Is To Hold You.

After this you'll find the usual AOR musical suspects of guitar harmony (twin guitars in Sapphire Eyes' case), thrilling solos, a spry and upbeat rock groove from the rhythm section, fine song melody and vocal harmony, and more than a few hooks from catchy choruses. With these elements added to the mix, I found my interest turn to the strong, more edgy, riff rockers such as Bring Back The Night, the speedy As Days Go By, and the radio ready Still Alive. If there is any caveat to add, it would be that most every song could have been trimmed by 30 to 45 seconds for some more compact and efficient rock tunes. Nevertheless, with Magic Moments, Sapphire Eyes once more delivers another solid album of classic AOR melodic rock. Recommended.

With Magic Moments, Sapphire Eyes once more delivers another solid album of classic AOR melodic rock. Recommended.

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Formed 23 years ago, Finland's Excalion has had a turbulent musical career. Before releasing a trio of albums between 2005 and 2010, they had personnel changes. Currently, only the drummer and keyboard ... [ Read More ]