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Impera: Legacy of Life
 "Buckle up and get ready," goes the press release for Legacy of Life," The band you always wanted to experience actually exists. The perfect amalgamation of everything that makes rock 'n' roll with the punches. You wanted the best, well you've got it" Seriously? Come of PR people, I know that you've got to push the product but sometimes (actually, most times) it just gets silly.
Legacy of Life isn't life changing, they aren't, "the best," but they are solid, tuneful and fairly powerful without being too heavy. "Kiss of Death" is a top tune bridging the gap between 80s AOR and a rockier modern take. The ubiquitous Tommy Denander is everywhere and it's always a pleasure to enjoy his work even on the weaker stuff such as the not very exciting "Break the Law". There are seven good songs, two so-so songs and the aforementioned "Break the Law" which makes this one comfortably worthy of 3.5 stars.
Track listing:
01. Turn My Heart to Stone
02. Kiss of Death
03. Break the Law
04. Shoot Me Down
05. Sunset Rider
06. Tell Me
07. More Than Meets the Eye
08. Is This Love
09. Show Me the Money
10. Deadend Street
Added: October 13th 2012
Reviewer: Simon Bray
Score:  
Related Link: Escape Music
Hits: 2600
Language: english
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Impera: Legacy of Life
Posted by Steven Reid, SoT Staff Writer on 2012-10-13 10:13:00
My Score:
It would be easy to fill this entire review purely by listing the impressive bands and artists that the four members of Impera have previously worked with. In fact guitarist Tommy Denander's CV would manage that task all on its own, never mind that drummer and band leader J.K. Impera has worked with Bruce Kulick and Vinnie Vincent (Kiss), John Corabi (Motley Crue, Union), Graham Bonnet (Rainbow, MSG) and Brian Robertson (Thin Lizzy, Motorhead), or that bassist Mats Vassfjord has been in Grand Design, as well as having stints with Corabi and Vincent. Then add vocalist Matti Alfonzetti who has graced albums by Jagged Edge, Red White & Blues, Road To Ruin and Scott Gorham, to the party and Impera should be cocked and loaded. That said, star name power, or collaborations are never a sure fire path to success, however this quartet of respected names have actually cooked up something extremely worthy of your attention.
Coming on a lot like a harder hitting version of Alfonzetti's early outfit Jagged Edge, Impera take a hard rock, melodic rock hybrid and twist a slice of the blues in to the mix, making for an album that impresses through excellent performances, but which also remembers to make the songs worth hearing as well. It isn't exactly innovative or ground breaking, but that was never the point of debut effort Legacy Of Life. No this is good time, hard hitting rock and roll that oozes authenticity and class through the energy and conviction that infuses it.
Alfonzetti still has a voice to die for and in truth he alone helps take the lesser songs on Legacy Of Life and add that little bit of memorable gloss to them, although Denander never misses the target either (does he ever??). Stomp through "Sunset Rider", cavort across the bristling "Is This Love" (no, not the Whitesnake track) and dance wildly to "Turn My Heart To Stone" for proof that Impera can produce heavy, hard, bluesy rock until their hearts are content. Then revel in the pulsating "Deadend Street" and stare in admiration at the guitar histrionics of "More Than Meets The Eye" for evidence that Impera have taken an old routine and dressed it in shiny new clothes, with great results.
In a world of never ending projects and flash in the pan albums, hopefully Legacy Of Life is the first of many cracking melodic blues rock romps from Impera, a band who easily know how to live up to their previous star billings.
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