Sapphire Eyes - s/t

[Stefan]

Avenue Of Allies are about to release the debut self-titled album by Sapphire Eyes on Nov. 30. Niclas Olsson (Alyson Avenue) & Thomas Bursell (Second Heat) are the main members. Guests includes Mikael Erlandsson (Last Autumn's Dream/Salute), Sven Larsson (Lionville/Street Talk), Micke Andersson (Cloudscape) and Rik Priem (Frozen Rain).

 

 

 

 

 

Samples: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sapphire-Eyes/dp/B00A27FNVM

[Swazi]

Absolutely awesome !!!!!

[Geoff]

Wow, that sounds excellent. So the MP3 thing is only temporary and there will be a physical CD for sure?

[Glen]

Yeah really like the sound of that - very nice indeedy.

[JamesEagle]

Can't tell much from 30 second samples, but from what I've heard this isn't for me at all.

 

BTW, iTunes is much better Amazon these days - 1 minute 30 second samples actually tell you something about a song. 30 seconds is pathetic.

[Glen]

True.

 

But this isn't on iTunes so it tells you zip about this lol.

 

I do use iTunes mostly for samples tho - they always give you the best section of a song as well. Cool.

[Stefan]

Head over to http://melodicrock.com/ for some audio samples.

[zacharyamelie]

Could be this years The Magnificent. This song is killer and the solo is awesome.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UV3-gh6c128

[Glen]

Wow I freakin love that song!

[Rockposer]

I'd rather sew my head to the carpet then use iTunes...........

[Guest Footstomp]

Whoa! Think I'm gonna buy one more christmas gift for myself.

[Stefan]

Album preview:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBVjfqcJ8wo

[Glen]

Wow I freakin love that song!

 

Dunno about this one......there's just something missing.................

 

Just listened to this on Spotify and it's a bit of a let down for me. Just wasn't blowing me away. Everything about this I should love, and it is good, but just not as good as I was expecting.

 

'This Love This Time' is probably the best song.

[zacharyamelie]

Wow I freakin love that song!

 

Dunno about this one......there's just something missing.................

 

Just listened to this on Spotify and it's a bit of a let down for me. Just wasn't blowing me away. Everything about this I should love, and it is good, but just not as good as I was expecting.

 

'This Love This Time' is probably the best song.

 

Something tells me I'll feel the same. I really like what Avenue Of Allies is doing but there is just something missing with all their releases, albeit very good, just not the same quality as let's say a Frontiers. I did order the new Lionville, Sapphire Eyes and Wheels Of Fire, but somehting tells me they'll all be solid, but like Glen said something will be missing to make them over the top great. Maybe it's the production, maybe the songwriting, maybe even the vocals (I highly doubt the vocals would be to blame if the Lionville isn't as sharp as I had expected). I can't quite put my finger on it. You know what, It may be the vocal thing, the fact that many different vocalists do some lead vocal work on the Sapphire Eyes and on the Lionville. A variety of vocalists might be giving these releases a 'pre assembled studio compilation' feel rather than a 'band' feel.

 

Last year the debut from Lionville and Miss Behaviour were my top 2 releases on Avenue Of Allies and only the Lionville cracked my top 10...in 10th, reason being the vocals of Lars Safsund are simply killer, although the Lionville was great it wasn't anywhere near as awesome as the Work Of Art, the other release Lars sang on last year. The Lionville seemed a bit forced and simply pieced together, however the cohesiveness of Work Of Art, gave them a hungry band feel.

 

I'm still anxious to hear all 3 of those releases in full, they will likely be my last purchases of 2012.

[Doksdad]

This band is a bit "light" for me. Kind of a Velocity without the punch.

[Glen]

IMO Lionville will eclipse Sapphire Eyes.

 

It's the only one I'm getting of those 3

[Geoff]

Very good CD. Although it sounds not like the Shadows Fade CD from a few years back, it does remind me of it in some regards. All mid-tempo kind of melodic rockers, which is perfect if you like that, which- GAZUUMP! I do. So this album is perfect for me, but I could see people labelling this album as a little "samey." I did think it was really quite excellent, though. More spins to follow...

[Nightrain]

Just got through this album again for the second time and turns out to be a great AOR album, although as one has stated, it could be sound samey and probably not really lasting after say 5-6 more spins, but can't deny that it has lots of great hooks. I also agree that 'This Love This Time' is the best track, although I can see that 'You're My Wings' and 'Change of Heart' has that big potential to edge it.

 

'Can't Find The Words' is a good ballad, I suspect it's Erlandsson's vocal, the soaring part is very nice although I find it's too raspy for this kinda song, and somehow near the end, it's getting flat, and probably the last track, 'Lay Down In My Arms' aren't really great, those two are 7/10 from me.

 

Other than that, the rest are what AOR fans need. 'I Want You To See Me', 'Only Feel Love', 'When Love Comes Alive' and 'Someone Like You' are just awesome. The production is great too so I'm bringing this one up to #14 on my year end's list.

Nice stuff!

 

85%

[Stefan]

[zacharyamelie]

After having this one for a few months now, I must admit it was one of the better releases of 2012. I think I ranked it in the mid teens, but if I had to redo my list, I think it would make my top 10. Just an awesome release.

[Geoff]

Yeah, I made a massive call throwing this right into my 2nd spot for 2012 after a year of very good releases. I've revisited it a few times recently to check if I think it deserves the spot. And I stand by it. I feel sad for the band that it's one of those releases that gets released at the very end of a year, which always manage to get overlooked. But this really is a cracking melodic rock release.

[Stefan]

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXDZRY66u6Q

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4rkRo4WCKc

[Stefan]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65pG_Df42rY