Swedish prog veterans Moon Safari are back after a ten-year break withHimlabacken Vol. 2, and truth be told, this is a band I've long heard of but never investigated their music. That all changed with this latest release, and I've been a quick convert ever since. After the opening AOR/melodic rock blast of "198X (Heaven Hill)", of which I almost thought I was listening to a new Cats in Space or Styx song, "Between the Devil and Me" hits you with dramatic progressive rock flourishes, more of those wonderful multi-part vocal harmonies, tasty guitars and keyboards...well, you get the picture. These guys REALLY know how to layer vocal harmonies, and even though the band is listed as a 'prog' act, you could easily sell them to anyone who loves '80s-styled melodic rock. "Emma, Come On" just soars in a Toto sort of way, "A Lifetime to Learn How to Love" wouldn't have sounded out of place on a Foreigner or Survivor album from that same era. Elsewhere, "Blood Moon" has that upbeat Styx flavor again (you could almost swear you are hearing Tommy Shaw and Dennis De Young in those backing vocals) and of course, there is a 20+ minute prog epic in the form of "Teen Angel Meets the Apocalypse", which is grand, majestic, dramatic, and features plenty of solo spots from the players. Housed within the bombast though is more of those catchy, multi-part vocal harmonies which, are essentially the real charm of this band. "Forever, For You" is another lengthy piece, complete with soaring harmonies, jazzy sax, and lovely lead guitar solos.
Himlabacken Vol. 2 was one of late 2023's nicest surprises, and I'm happy to say that Moon Safari has finally claimed me as a fan of their music...better late than never.
Track Listing
1.
198X (Heaven Hill) 03:55
2.
Between the Devil and Me 10:38
3.
Emma, Come On 03:19
4.
A Lifetime to Learn How to Love 08:28
5.
Beyond the Blue 02:12
6.
Blood Moon 05:44
7.
Teen Angel Meets the Apocalypse 21:03
8.
Forever, For You 10:08
9.
Epilog 03:22
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