Dogface: From the End to the Beginning

The well-kept Swedish Melodic Hard Rock secret, Dogface, have a new album out entitled, From The End To The Beginning (ScandiRock Records). This 15 track album is chocked full of great 80’s/90’s Melodic Bluesy Hard Rock in the vain of early Whitesnake (PRE-the 1987 album), Europe, XYZ and is a compilation of the first three Dogface albums starting with their 2000 debut (Dogface Unleashed, In Control and Back On The Streets). This is also to be the final release from Dogface.

Vocalist Mats Levén (Candlemass, Yngwie Malmsteen) is the star of the show on this album. His soulful vocals are front and center and he perfectly channels his inner Glenn Hughes and Coverdale and gives it his all on each and every track on From The End To The Beginning. “Right Between The Lies� is an excellent overall example of what this great band can deliver. Heavy, melodic and catchy is what Dogface does. With its powerful riff and double bass pounding beginning, “Right Between The Lies�, gives way to a throaty and slow paced Coverdale-like crooned vocal that speeds back up for the get “stuck in your head� chorus. “Footsteps On The Moon� is an instant classic, with its huge riff and even bigger chorus and is sure to be right at home with any Hard Rock fan. There is just such a quality to what these guy do, that is simply unmistakable.

Guitarist Martin Kronlund (Phenomena, Salute) delivers outstanding performances all over this record and is a perfect compliment to Levén’s outstanding vocals. Kronlund never overdoes it and his lead work and tone are pristine. Kronlund is tasty and reminds me of a Neal Schon type, with his solos fitting the song and not the song being there just for him to wank all over and I for one totally appreciate that. The rhythm section of Mikael Carlsson on Bass and Perra Johansson are super tight, sound huge together and make the band sound so good.

Now let’s be honest here, Dogface might be one of the worst name for a band that I’ve ever heard, but I’ll be dammed if From The End To The Beginning isn’t a brilliant record. It is such a shame that the band is folding, but this compilation is a fantastic send off and for people like me that had never even heard of the band before, we get a great cross section of their best material. So long “Dogface�. A terrible name, but such a great band with some smokin’ songs.

Dogface
Mats Levén : Vox
Martin Kronlund : Guitar
Mikael Carlsson : Bass
Perra Johansson : Drums

Track Listing

1. Don’t
2. Not Wanted
3. A Simple Reason
4. I Will Be There
5. Sleeping With The Enemy
6. Footsteps On The Moon
7. Right Between The Lies
8. Alone Again
9. Can’t Face Tomorrow
10. You’re Taken Me Down
11. I Don’t Care
12. Leave This War
13. Spit It Out
14. Rule The Night
15. Let It Out

Added: June 25th 2019
Reviewer: Butch Jones
Score:
Related Link: Band Facebook Page
Hits: 1705
Language: english

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