One Desire - Midnight Empire

[Captain Howdy]

I really was not expecting much as I can generally take or leave most AOR albums which I often find have one or two killer songs, and the rest just kinda wash over me. This one though, awesome from start to finish. Defo helps that they remind me of H.E.A.T. in places, but I think they defo have their own sound rather than being the generic "Scandi AOR" that often puts me off bands.

[KarpetRydOFunk]

23 hours ago, Captain Howdy said:

I really was not expecting much as I can generally take or leave most AOR albums which I often find have one or two killer songs, and the rest just kinda wash over me. This one though, awesome from start to finish. Defo helps that they remind me of H.E.A.T. in places, but I think they defo have their own sound rather than being the generic "Scandi AOR" that often puts me off bands.

I prefer their sound over the last three H.e.a.t albums. Though I suspect the new one might have a special place in my heart. ;}

[Captain Howdy]

Nah, better than the first two H.E.A.T. albums is far more accurate ... but then again a lot of things are

[Glen]

I never get the lack of Love for the first 2 HEAT albums.

Both are excellent imo, esp the debut. 

[lettard]

Yeah i'd agree,the first two H.E.A.T albums are great to my ears,a different kind of beast as what they have become,but I remember well going all out to find their debut after hearing the song "cry" and the Freedon Rock is not too shabby also.

[Geoff]

16 hours ago, Glen said:

I never get the lack of Love for the first 2 HEAT albums.

Both are excellent imo, esp the debut. 

In 100% complete honesty, I doubt there is any actual lack of love for the first two HEAT albums. I know a couple of guys here don't like them, and to be honest I don't really know the music world outside of this site, but I would heavily predict that they're the only couple of people out there that don't like the first HEAT albums (in terms of HEAT fans, of course - not just Craig on the street). 

They're excellent albums and anyone who disagrees is a smashed avocado.

Edited January 29, 2020 by Geoff

[Glen]

Just now, Geoff said:

In 100% complete honesty, I doubt there is any actual lack of love for the first two HEAT albums. I know a couple of guys here don't like them, and to be honest I don't really know the music world outside of this site, but I would heavily predict that they're the only couple of people out there that don't like the first HEAT albums (in terms of HEAT fans, of course - not just Craig on the street). 

They're excellent albums and anyone who disagrees is a smashed avocado. 

there's loads of people on FB who only like the Eric albums. 

[Geoff]

1 minute ago, Glen said:

there's loads of people on FB who only like the Eric albums. 

Well you can be guaranteed they're smashed avocados. 

Seriously, though, I'd love to see an actual proper reason. Sure, they might like Eric's vocals better, and they're definitely a lot "ballsier" in sound with Eric in the band, but I remember the fanfare (in "our scene") when 'Keep On Dreaming' hit in 2008 and I think you'd be at a stretch to find a better album than that debut in 2008, and the second one was every bit as good, if not better. 

I dunno, weird things happen. Maybe people listened to and preferred Eric's vocals and thought Kenny wasn't as good and it suddenly blew up into somehow thinking they were actually bad albums with Kenny, just because Eric's vocals were preferred? I don't know.

If I'm being honest, I actually switch off when I see the discussion and can probably honestly say I don't know why people (HEAT fans) wouldn't like the first two albums. I don't think I've ever read on because it just seems silly talk to me.  

It'd kind of be like liking Bon Jovi from 'Slippery' onwards without acknowledging how good the first two were. Perhaps poussuers are at play?

[CureTheSane]

I worry less about whoever is singing than most people.
I like Warrant in all forms, Great White, etc
If you're able to realise that you ain't getting the same product you got with the old singer (some people can't) and can open your mind and go in with a clean slate (some people can't) then you can be pleasantly surprised.

From the first 2 abums I really liked 4 and 6 songs respectively
Off HEAT - 5, 6, 11, 14
Of Freedom Rock - 1, 4, 5, 6, 9, 12

[KarpetRydOFunk]

9 hours ago, Geoff said:

Well you can be guaranteed they're smashed avocados. 

Seriously, though, I'd love to see an actual proper reason. Sure, they might like Eric's vocals better, and they're definitely a lot "ballsier" in sound with Eric in the band, but I remember the fanfare (in "our scene") when 'Keep On Dreaming' hit in 2008 and I think you'd be at a stretch to find a better album than that debut in 2008, and the second one was every bit as good, if not better. 

I dunno, weird things happen. Maybe people listened to and preferred Eric's vocals and thought Kenny wasn't as good and it suddenly blew up into somehow thinking they were actually bad albums with Kenny, just because Eric's vocals were preferred? I don't know.

If I'm being honest, I actually switch off when I see the discussion and can probably honestly say I don't know why people (HEAT fans) wouldn't like the first two albums. I don't think I've ever read on because it just seems silly talk to me.  

It'd kind of be like liking Bon Jovi from 'Slippery' onwards without acknowledging how good the first two were. Perhaps poussuers are at play?

First of all, fuck Craig. 

Second of all, fuck you for suggesting there's something wrong with smashed avocados. How else are you gonna make guacamole?

Third of all, you're probably right on the money as far as folk's perception of the first two albums as time progressed. I recall massive fanfare surrounding the debut around its release. At the time I wasn't into it, because it was too "soft" for me. Then Freedom Rock dropped and people were even more hyped for it. And then Kenny left, Eric joined, and was as if a switch occurred and suddenly the first two albums were terrible.

[tts42572]

10 hours ago, Geoff said:

Well you can be guaranteed they're smashed avocados. 

Seriously, though, I'd love to see an actual proper reason. Sure, they might like Eric's vocals better, and they're definitely a lot "ballsier" in sound with Eric in the band, but I remember the fanfare (in "our scene") when 'Keep On Dreaming' hit in 2008 and I think you'd be at a stretch to find a better album than that debut in 2008, and the second one was every bit as good, if not better. 

I dunno, weird things happen. Maybe people listened to and preferred Eric's vocals and thought Kenny wasn't as good and it suddenly blew up into somehow thinking they were actually bad albums with Kenny, just because Eric's vocals were preferred? I don't know.

If I'm being honest, I actually switch off when I see the discussion and can probably honestly say I don't know why people (HEAT fans) wouldn't like the first two albums. I don't think I've ever read on because it just seems silly talk to me.  

It'd kind of be like liking Bon Jovi from 'Slippery' onwards without acknowledging how good the first two were. Perhaps poussuers are at play?

Well....Count me as one of the weirdos that don't like the first two albums

For me, I never even discovered the band until Address The Nation came out.  That was the first I heard and was immediately hooked. 

Shortly after that, I went looking to see if they had other albums.  I remember sampling a bunch of songs off the first couple albums and those just didn't do much for me because of the different vocals from Kenny.  I like the songs themselves and like them when I hear Erik doing them live....But don't care for the Kenny versions.  They're okay....But he brings a different style than Erik for sure.   I keep wishing they'd re-record some of the older tunes with Erik doing vocals as like bonus tracks or something. 

I just think it's always touchy when you have bands changing vocalists.  Sometimes you'll have people liking the old guy more or the new guy more...Or maybe liking them both.  

I agree with you in that they aren't technically "bad" albums though.  They're still good stuff....obviously just don't sound the same as the Erik albums.  Kenny is just more of a smoother, laid back AOR type guy where Erik brings more power, energy and edge IMO. 

But while the first two may not be "bad" albums, for me the Erik albums blow those two out of the water 

[Darkstone]

9 hours ago, CureTheSane said:

I worry less about whoever is singing than most people.
I like Warrant in all forms, Great White, etc
If you're able to realise that you ain't getting the same product you got with the old singer (some people can't) and can open your mind and go in with a clean slate (some people can't) then you can be pleasantly surprised.
 

100% Agree. Sometimes you can't even rely on getting the same product with the same singer. As long as it's a good product, who cares. 

[Captain Howdy]

I will out and out say this, I have tried to listen to the first two albums multiple times, and each time I come away with the same attitude .. competent enough songs, but absolutely nothing that hooks me. I didn't actually get them until after Kenny had left and Erik was announched, but before ATN came out. I only picked them up because people were praising them like they were gods gift to rock music and I listened to them and just went, well that was kinda meh.

Then the ATN came out and I was blown away (I gave them a try as I loved Eriks solo stuff which I ordered at the same time as those two albums)., and that just made me care even less for those first two albums.

I really don't care if people wanna throw out comical insults towards people who don't like them, or if people cannot understand why others don't like they them, for me they are just overrated and pretty run of the mill. But don't worry, they are not the only AOR albums that get lots of hype that I could not give two shits about either.

 

This is why I am so blow away by One Desire. I heard zero hype around them and pretty much went in blind, but fuck me the hooks on this album are there 1000 fold.

[Glen]

I think Freedom Rock is packed with hooks. 

[Glen]

And they were amazing live with Kenny.

I even saw them with Martennson singing which was odd (Kenny was ill) 

I think it's criminal that they pretty much ignore the first 2 albums now when they play live...except Beg which is the worst song on Freedom Rock.

[sirlemonhead]

I love the first three HEAT albums, but not so much the last two at all. So it's not so much a singer thing with me - I really like both, but I do wonder if it's the Eric/Dave combo that really does it for me, as I'm a guitar player and I find all the lead playing on the first two albums really amazing stuff.

Beg beg beg is great! though I wish they'd play just it and not transition into other songs like highway star covers or whatever. And Danger Road should never not be on their live setlist.

It's criminal that shite like a shot at redemption and mannequin show are still sat on the setlist when older stuff could be taking their place

[Captain Howdy]

1 hour ago, Glen said:

I think Freedom Rock is packed with hooks. 

I don't

[Geoff]

10 hours ago, sirlemonhead said:

I love the first three HEAT albums, but not so much the last two at all. So it's not so much a singer thing with me - I really like both, but I do wonder if it's the Eric/Dave combo that really does it for me, as I'm a guitar player and I find all the lead playing on the first two albums really amazing stuff.

Beg beg beg is great! though I wish they'd play just it and not transition into other songs like highway star covers or whatever. And Danger Road should never not be on their live setlist.

It's criminal that shite like a shot at redemption and mannequin show are still sat on the setlist when older stuff could be taking their place

Completely agree. The new album sounds like a monster, and 'Address The Nation' is also that. But after those two, imo, the first two are easily their next best two albums (haha, look at me already building this new one up).

But yeah, in my opinion, at the moment the debut and 'Freedom Rock' are their second and third best albums. Comfortably too.  

[Glen]

22 minutes ago, Geoff said:

Completely agree. The new album sounds like a monster, and 'Address The Nation' is also that. But after those two, imo, the first two are easily their next best two albums (haha, look at me already building this new one up).

But yeah, in my opinion, at the moment the debut and 'Freedom Rock' are their second and third best albums. Comfortably too.  

comfortably is pushing it. 

I'd probably rank all 5 between 85-95% (yes I'm one of the few that loved the last album)

might do it later, but not in this thread.

think we should get back on topic.

did I mention that I'm seeing One Desire in about 1 month

 

[zacharyamelie]

I love all their releases. 

[Tabe]

Initially, I was not a fan of the first two albums.  I've gone back and listened to them again and I like them now.  But it might as well be a completely different group from the other albums.  Since i first learned of H.E.A.T with their later stuff, that's what I'm a fan of.  But the first two albums are pretty good, too.

[KarpetRydOFunk]

On 1/29/2020 at 12:44 PM, Glen said:

I think Freedom Rock is packed with hooks. 

 

On 1/29/2020 at 1:45 PM, Captain Howdy said:

I don't

I know he led with "I think," but it wasn't a subjective statement. Freedom Rock is packed with hooks. Whether, or not, you like those hooks is a matter on its own. 

[sirlemonhead]

But yeah back on topic, I'm looking forward to the new One Desire too I remember that Sturm und Drang band from back in the day so was kinda surprised when I heard "one of those really young metal lads" was joining a melodic rock band. He still looks sorta outta place with his flying V (not that I care about image really) but it's all good  

[Darkstone]

6 hours ago, sirlemonhead said:

But yeah back on topic, I'm looking forward to the new One Desire too I remember that Sturm und Drang band from back in the day so was kinda surprised when I heard "one of those really young metal lads" was joining a melodic rock band. He still looks sorta outta place with his flying V (not that I care about image really) but it's all good  

Well there you go. Love "One Desire" and The "Sturm und Drang" albums are great, but I didn't know the connection until know. Thanks mate! You're a Rockstar! This is why I love this site.

 

 

 

[Glen]

yeah he was singer of that band. 

Strum und Drang were pretty good but always veering slightly to that power metal sound.

RnR children showed the most promise and songs like that's the way I am & Life were great and a sign of potential.

defo realised that potential with One Desire though which in all fairness is a massive step up in quality 

This was always my fav track -