Recent Reviews

November 2024

October 2024

September 2024

August 2024

[ More Music Reviews ]


Issa: Queen Of Broken Hearts
Issa Oversveen - Queen Of Broken Hearts Album Art

Issa: Queen Of Broken Hearts

Melodic Hard Rock/AOR
4.0/5.0

Facebook
Frontiers Music
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 03.03.2021 | Released: 12.03.2021

Almost like clockwork, every three years, Norwegian vocalist Issa Oversveen offers listeners a new studio album. Queen Of Broken Hearts is her sixth recording. Once more it originates from the firmly established European music factory Frontiers Records. Also, working again with Frontier's musical mastermind Alessandro Del Vecchio (songwriting, production, keyboards) the album features Simone Mularoni (DGM) on guitar, Andrea Torricini (Vision Divine) on bass, and Marco Di Salvia (Hardline) on drums.

Issa Oversveen - Click For Larger Image

Issa Oversveen

Also, it comes as no surprise, considering her consistent catalog of recordings, Issa delivers another platter of entertaining AOR-driven melodic hard rock. The songs feature, first, her melodic soaring vocals, then with the arrangements wrapped in strong melodies, vibrant guitar harmony, rock rhythm and groove, a smattering of keyboards for accent and embellishment, and some terrific, thrilling guitar solos. When I noticed that DGM guitarist Simone Mularoni had returned for this album, I knew their would some most excellent guitar theatrics. He does not disappoint.

As for the songs, considering the duo of Issa and Del Vecchio, you can expect a bevy classic hard rock with AOR accessibility. Not the least to include the fine, fast-ish rockers like After The Rain, The Way Out, or the heavier, bit speedier, Queen Of Broken Heart. Several songs offer a notable synth presence, often featuring a piano line, including Angels Calling, Wait For Love, or I'm Here To Stay. Those latter two songs are also examples of tunes with strong guitar solo starts from Mularoni, with I'm Here To Stay having several more ambitious solos throughout. A rising ballad arrives with Blue which, starting soft with Issa's vocals, at the midpoint it begins to get heavy and dense, nearly smothering the vocalist. She gets a respite with a piano and voice breakdown at the 2'30" mark, after which a blistering Mularoni guitar solo follows. All said, with Queen Of Broken Hearts, Issa Oversveen delivers another well-crafted and entertaining album of AOR-infused melodic hard rock. If you're a fan of the talented vocalist, you will not be disappointed. Recommended.




CraigHartranft.net - New fiction, crime fiction by Craig Hartranft

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

The Bottom Line

With Queen Of Broken Hearts, Issa Oversveen delivers another well-crafted and entertaining album of AOR-infused melodic hard rock. If you're a fan of the talented vocalist, you will not be disappointed. Recommended.

Find A Review

Alphabetical Index

a b c d e f g h i j
k l m n o p q r s t
u v w x y z #
New & Notable
Read the Lionville: Supernatural Album Review

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 ]

October 2024 Stats
  • Views: 14K
  • Active Users: 3.7K
  • New Users: 3.1K
  • Event Count: 41K

    • Source: Google Analytics