UFO - The Visitor
Steamhammer/SPV
Hardrock / AOR
DUTCH REVIEW
Sjak: They can’t be broken, our hard rock dinosaurs which together make up the band UFO. After the ever returning line-up issues (not seldomly caused by a once brilliant German guitar player, who’s name I will not mention here) they’ve hit the jackpot a couple of years ago by introducing the American guitar player Vinnie Moore, which accounted for the first stable line-up in many years. That stability is also to be found in the song material, because ‘The Visitor’ is a lot better than their previous albums with Vinnie in the line-up, being ‘The Monkey Puzzle’ (from 2006) and ‘You Are Here’ (from 2004).
Of course the classic albums of the band will never be equalled anymore and that’s certainly not the intention anymore of this sympathetic outfit, but the fact that year are still capable of recording and releasing such an album about forty (!) years of existence deserves respect. The eighties hard rock style has been replaced by a more bluesy approach and that accounts for some memorable moments. Particularly opening track ‘Saving Me’ and (especially) ‘Helldriver’ (great riff!) breathe inspiration and it becomes quite clear that the unhealthy lifestyle of vocalist Phil Mogg for some decennia didn’t have any impact on his voice. He still sounds as great as during his heydays and that quite an accomplishment in itself. He is still, together with guitar player Vinnie Moore who feels himself like a fish in the water with this bluesy material clearly demonstrated by fantastic guitar solos, the biggest asset of UFO. With ‘The Visitor’ UFO proves that they still have the right to exist and they still have the endurance to tour extensively. The next nine months they will be “on the road” again and if I were you I would make sure to be there during their stop-over in the Netherlands in the beginning of June, I know I will. Nice album!
Rating: 79/100 (details)
http://www.ufo-music.info
go and read the ANDY PARKER INTERVIEW from Lords of Metal
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