Steelover – ‘Devil’s Highway’

(Escape Music)

There are albums that grab you by the collar from the opening moments, demanding your attention and refusing to let go, and then there are those that simply drift by without making much of an impression. Unfortunately, Steelover's Devil's Highway falls rather firmly into the latter category for these ears. There's certainly nothing fundamentally wrong with what the band are attempting here, and anyone familiar with the melodic hard rock genre will recognise plenty of the familiar ingredients, but the problem is that familiarity doesn't always translate into excitement. Despite a handful of encouraging moments and some perfectly respectable musicianship, this is an album that struggles to rise above the ordinary and ultimately leaves me feeling rather underwhelmed.

Melodic hard rock is a wonderfully broad musical landscape, one that can accommodate everything from polished AOR melodies and enormous singalong choruses to grittier, heavier guitar-driven material. It's also a genre that has produced some genuinely outstanding records over the years, which inevitably raises expectations whenever another band arrives looking to make its mark. The difficulty for Steelover is that Devil's Highway doesn't really do enough to distinguish itself from the considerable competition. There are moments when the foundations are certainly in place, but the overall impression is of a band operating within familiar territory without bringing enough personality, inspiration or memorable songwriting to the table.

The album has a reasonably traditional melodic hard rock sound, built around the expected combination of electric guitars, solid rhythms, melodic vocal lines and accessible arrangements. There's nothing particularly adventurous about the production or musical direction, but equally, there's no requirement for every record in this genre to reinvent the wheel. Sometimes all you need is a collection of well-written songs, a handful of killer hooks and a chorus that lodges itself in your brain after a single listen. Unfortunately, those essential ingredients are not delivered with anything approaching the consistency required here.

Pat Fréson and Lucio Farina’s guitars provide much of the album's heavier character, offering a mixture of crunchy riffs, familiar hard rock rhythms and melodic touches. There's enough going on instrumentally to suggest a capable group of musicians, and the performances are generally competent throughout. However, competence and inspiration are two very different things. I found myself wanting more bite, more excitement and, above all, more individuality. Too often, the guitar work feels like it's following a well-worn template rather than creating something genuinely exciting. There are certainly opportunities for the band to let loose, but the material rarely provides the kind of platform that makes those moments particularly memorable.

One of the biggest challenges facing an album like this is the need to maintain momentum. Melodic hard rock thrives on energy, atmosphere and the ability to deliver songs that make you want to turn the volume up another couple of notches. Whether that's through a powerful riff, a soaring vocal passage or a huge, uplifting chorus, there needs to be something that makes the listener sit up and take notice. Sadly, Devil's Highway often feels a little too restrained in this respect. The heavier passages are perfectly acceptable, but they don't consistently deliver the excitement or intensity that I would hope for from this style of music.

The songwriting is another area where I struggled to find much to get particularly enthusiastic about. There's an obvious understanding of the melodic hard rock formula, with accessible structures and familiar arrangements forming the backbone of the record. However, the melodies don't always have the necessary strength to make a lasting impression. Some albums reveal their charms gradually, rewarding repeated listens as the songs begin to open up and reveal previously unnoticed details. Others make their intentions clear almost immediately. With Steelover, I found myself waiting for that moment when everything would suddenly fall into place, but it never quite arrived.

That isn't to suggest there are no positives. There is a certain charm to the straightforward approach, and the album does have enough variety to prevent it becoming completely monotonous. The band clearly have an appreciation for the genre, and there's nothing here that suggests a lack of effort or commitment. The problem is simply that the finished product doesn't generate enough excitement. When you're listening to melodic hard rock, you want those big moments, those irresistible hooks and those choruses that practically demand to be shouted back at the speakers. I found myself missing that sense of occasion.

The overall atmosphere is also a little difficult to pin down. There's a harder edge to the material, but not always enough aggression to make the album particularly convincing as a full-blooded hard rock release. Equally, there isn't quite enough melodic sophistication or emotional depth to make it especially compelling from an AOR perspective. It occupies a middle ground that should, in theory, provide plenty of opportunities, but instead leaves the record feeling somewhat anonymous. I wanted more character, more identity and a stronger sense of what Steelover are trying to achieve.

Perhaps the biggest disappointment is that Devil's Highway never really establishes a distinctive musical personality. There are plenty of bands working within this particular corner of rock music, and standing out from the crowd requires more than simply delivering a collection of reasonably performed songs. It takes memorable songwriting, a recognisable sound and that elusive spark that separates a good album from something truly special. For me, Steelover haven't quite found that spark on this occasion.

It's also worth remembering that not every album has to be an instant classic to provide worthwhile entertainment. Sometimes a straightforward collection of melodic hard rock is exactly what the doctor ordered. However, even when approaching an album with relatively modest expectations, I still want to come away feeling that I've discovered something worth returning to. Sadly, Devil's Highway hasn't given me that feeling. There are enough respectable elements to suggest potential, but potential alone isn't enough to carry an entire album.

Ultimately, Steelover have delivered a record that ticks many of the expected boxes without ever making a particularly convincing case for itself. The musicianship is competent, the stylistic direction is familiar and there are occasional flashes of what might have been, but the songs simply don't have the consistency, impact or memorable qualities needed to elevate the album above the ordinary.

For these ears, Devil's Highway is something of a missed opportunity. It's not a disaster, nor is it an album that I would actively discourage melodic hard rock fans from investigating. However, with so much excellent music available within the genre, there's little here that makes me feel compelled to revisit it. A perfectly serviceable effort in places, but ultimately one that disappears into the crowd rather than leaving its mark. Sometimes the highway leads somewhere exciting. On this occasion, Steelover's journey proves to be a rather uneventful ride.

5/10

Essential Track – ‘Chains Of Love’

Review by Woody