Frontiers Records won't be wasting any time in early 2013, as the label has a host of upcoming releases sure to thrill lovers of melodic hard rock & heavy metal. The latest from Norwegian vocalist Jorn Lande and his band is called Symphonic, a collection of songs from throughout his career with added classical orchestrations. In some instances the songs were completely remixed to add even more room for the orchestrations, but what's cool about this collection is that none of the songs lose their bite, but have become even more majestic with the added elements.
Now, for all you Jorn fans out there, no doubt you already own or have heard these songs before, so I'm not sure how much of an 'autobuy' Symphonic will be, but as someone who also fall into that category, this is most certainly a fun and intriguing listen. The orchestral arrangements were conducted by Lasse Jensen, and in some songs they play a large role, and on others simply complementary. Some of the heavier rockers, like "I Came to Rock", "Like Stone in Water", "Burn Your Flame", and "Man of the Dark" sound even more powerful and grandiose with the added symphonics. Basically, these are all great songs, but for those that like the sounds of acts like Kamelot or Nightwish, there will be even more appeal to these tunes now. The Masterplan classic "Time to Be King" (which Lande has now adopted as his own seeing as he is no longer part of that outfit once again) is given roaring new life here, and the cover of Dio's "Rock and Roll Children" is simply marvelous with the extra orchestral arrangements. Throw in a few lush ballady type pieces in "Black Morning", "The World I See", and "Behind the Clown" (which are tailor made for this project), complete with soaring arrangements and Lande's emotional delivery, and you have a very enjoyable reworking of some standout Jorn material. And, wait till you hear the Black Sabbath gem "Mob Rules" with the added orchestra...wow.
In summary, Symphonic might not be essential to most, but for loyal Jorn fans it should prove to be a lot of fun.
Track Listing
01. I Came To Rock
02. Rock And Roll Children
03. The World I See
04. Burn Your Flame
05. Man Of The Dark
06. My Road
07. Time To Be King
08. Black Morning
09. Like Stone In Water
10. Vision Eyes
11. War Of The World
12. Behind The Clown
13. A Thousand Cuts
14. The Mob Rules
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