Queen Of The Sun (Album 2022)

PowerRide

Melodic Heavy Hard Rock

Norway not only has a lot of Black Metal to offer. From the vapor circle of Omegashift a band appeared. Doing great on covers of Ozzy Osbourne, Van Halen or DIO, they’ve released the album „Tribe“ in 2019. Now they present their next LP with the mystic title „Queen Of The Sun“. 

All eleven songs have an own artwork, but the album cover itself shows a head like a star. The face can’t be seen, the hair is long, and the dress is surrounded by clouds, while there are stars in the sky. And as PowerRide begin, the musical energy of a thousand suns come from the speaker.

It all starts fast, classic Heavy Rock with the riff energy of Airbourne, the vocal force of Iron Maiden and with the piano and choir the mighty drive of Deep Purple. So from the first song it is great to imagine this band live, as for sure the audience would immediately understand how it works.

From now on, PowerRide incorporate bits and pieces and familiar melodies from epic Heavy Metal like Helloween, Hammerfall or Grave Digger. Wilder parts even come closer to Thrash like The King Must Die. And relaxed midtempo tunes and ballads take back to the 70s again like Journey, Supertramp or Foreigner.

Highlight of the first half is the early Glam Rock hymn „Hunting in the Dark“ in the style of Alice Cooper with a sweet graveyard horror atmosphere and solo. Later on the record „Blinded in the Night“ is the perfect tranquilizer for fans of Dire Straits or Nazareth.

The following fantastic „Midnight“ with its occult touch again has something from Deaf Rat, Ghost and WhoCares, with a headbanger moment and the charming color of Psychedelic Prog sound. And with the song to say goodbye „Come with Me“, the lighters (and mobiles nowadays) raise up to the sky.