CROWNE – ‘OPERATION PHOENIX’

(Frontiers Records)

Crowne create a sound which is so Scandinavian you can hear the Viking berserkers charging the beach! Obviously, that shouldn’t be a surprise given the musicians involved in Crowne but what is surprising given that the band is a collaboration between Alexander Strandell (Art Nation) and Jona Tee (H.E.A.T) is they don’t sound like a mash up of those two acts. Given the close similarities between those two you’d expect it to sound like H.E.A.T but with Strandell’s vocals. That is not the case, Crowne sound more like their Scandinavian counterparts Eclipse but more noticeably The Poodles with songs full of Bombast and Pomp!

‘Operation Phoenix’ is full to the brim with chest beating anthems in great Scandinavian Melodic Hard Rock tradition. All the songs are epic and grandiose and will hook you in immediately and offer instant musical gratification. The Eclipse alike ‘Juliette’ is a great example of the band getting under your skin quickly and with its killer chorus have you cranking the volume and damaging the repeat button. Fans of this genre will definitely gravitate towards the evocative anthem ‘The Last Of Us’, I can definitely hear a few rockers voices singing passionately along to this one. If you like songs with strong anthemic stadium choruses then this album throws them at you at a quickfire pace with the likes of ‘Champions’, ‘In The Name Of The Fallen’ and ‘Just Believe’ destined to raise roofs in the live arena.

Vocalist Alexander Strandell puts in a fantastic performance with his soaring and enveloping vocals – proving easily why I preferred Art Nation to H.E.A.T during Gronwall’s time. Jona Tee’s Keyboards are always very high in the mix which pushes the bands pompous and grandiose sound. With Love Magnusson’s guitar riffs adding a bombastic edge and instilling a compelling energy to the songs.

Crowne’s debut album ‘Kings in the North’ was a solid and impressive album which was very enjoyable, but was not world changing. With ‘Operation Phoenix’ they equal that impression, it’s no classic but it is highly enjoyable album with a lot of great songs to rock along too. It’s that sort of album I can highly recommend to fans of Scandi Rock and just like me it’ll be a collection of songs that goes into heavy rotation for a few months, but it doesn’t have the staying power to stick around for that memorable classic status. Enjoy it for what it is and you’ll have a belting time!

8/10

Essential Track – ‘Juliette’

Review by Woody