• New Music Reviews
• |
• Archives
• |
• News
• |
• Submissions
• |
• About
• |
• 
• |
• 

January 2025

• The Big Deal: Electrified
• Landfall: Wide Open Sky

December 2024

• After Lapse: Pathways
• Illusion Force: Halfana
• Powell-Payne: Voilá

November 2024

• Sunstorm: Restless Fight
• Storace: Crossfire
• Voodoo Circle: Hail To The King
• Lionville: Supernatural
• Starchaser: Into The Great Unkown
• Empires Of Eden: Guardians Of Time
• Lonerider: Down In The Dust
• Seventh Crystal: Entity
• Neal Morse & The Resonance: No Hill For A Climber
• Beardfish: Songs For Beating Hearts
• Impellitteri: War Machine
• Brothers Of Metal: Fimbulvinter

October 2024

• Casandra's Crossing: Garden Of Earthly Delights
• DGM: Endless
• Daytona: Garder la Flamme
• Fate: Reconnect 'N Ignite
• Frost*: Life In The Wires
• Aries Descendant: From The Ashes Of Deceit
• Fans Of The Dark: Video
• Radioactive: Reset
• House Of Lords: Full Tilt Overdrive
• Cleanbreak: We Are The Fire

September 2024

• Sinner's Blood: Dark Horizons
• Serious Black: Rise Of Akhenaton
• Eclipse: Megalomanium II
• SteelCity: Reverence
• Hydra: ReHydrated
• Heartwind: III
• Gabrielle De Val and the Dragonlords: Tiger
• Find Me: Nightbound
• The Nail: The Nail
• Timeless Fairytale: A Story To Tell
• Stryper: When We Were Kings
• Phil Mogg: Moggs Motel
• Pure Reason Revolution: Coming Up To Consciousness
• Jordan Rudess: Permission To Fly

[ More Music Reviews ]

Landfall: Wide Open Sky

Melodic Hard Rock/AOR

4.5/5.0

Facebook Instagram
Frontiers Music
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 15.01.2025 | Released: 17.01.2025

Twenty five months after their sophomore effort Elevate, Brazil's Landfall returns with their third studio album, Wide Open Sky. The band personnel remains constant with Marcelo Gelbcke (g,bgvs), Luis Rocha (b,bgvs), Felipe Souzza (d,bgvs), and singer-songwriter Gui Oliver. Oliver has written songs for Jimi Jamison, Bobby Kimball, Issa, and Fergie Frederiksen. Gelbcke, who has helped writing songs for Brazil's Icon Of Sin, became that band's lead guitarist for their latest album, 2023's Legends.

Landfall

Speaking to Landfall's Wide Open Sky, the band is following the same musical course as their two previous albums: AOR-infused melodic hard rock. The band describes their sound "as falling somewhere between classic melodic rock, like Journey, and slightly heavier influences, such as classic era Dokken, White Lion, and Extreme." That nails it.

After the first spin, honestly, I found the songwriting and musicianship to be exceptional, especially the attention to song melody, rock rhythm and groove, fine gang vocal harmony, and very strong guitar solos. Yet no songs really jumped out. However, like most new music, additional spins allows the music to sink deeper into your consciousness.

Heavier rockers arrive with No Tomorrow, Running In Circles, and the faster riff rocker, Coming Home. More notable AOR influences, SOS, Tree Of Life, and Intoxicated, which turn on hooks in riffs, groove, and catchy refrains. Landfall offers a power ballad with A Letter To You. Finally, you might find some subtle prog nuances within Hourglass and the title track, Wide Open Sky, where the band gives their significant musical talents room to stretch.

Most things considered, Landfall's third studio album, Wide Open Sky continues to demonstrate the band's commitment to AOR-inspired melodic hard rock which turns upon exceptional songwriting and musicianship, especially song melody and groove with fine vocal harmony. Recommeded.

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

Landfall's third studio album, Wide Open Sky continues to demonstrate the band's commitment to AOR-inspired melodic hard rock which turns upon exceptional songwriting and musicianship, especially song melody and groove with fine vocal harmony. Recommeded.

Support the artist, click the link below to buy the album at Amazon (US site) in your favorite format.

Alphabetical Index

The Powell Payne project, created in 2022 is the collaboration of Mark "Penfold Powell (ex-drummer of Psycho Kiss) and Adam Payne (former vocalist of Airrace). With guitarist Adam Davies and keyboard player ... [ Read More ]

• Views: 183,179
• Active Users: 42,647
• New Users: 41,384K
• Event Count: 539,663

Source: Google Analytics