by Justin Gaines
– Sr. Columnist —
Norwegian super-vocalist Jorn Lande is back with a new solo album, titled Heavy Rock Radio. It’s the eleventh (or twelfth, depending on how you count Symphonic) Jorn studio album, and as the title suggests Heavy Rock Radio is a covers album. With two other covers albums to his credit, plus several great covers scattered throughout his other albums, Jorn is no stranger to paying tribute to his influences. Heavy Rock Radio is definitely his most diverse collection of covers, though, and is arguably his most enjoyable one. Here’s the track-by-track breakdown:
1. I Know There’s Something Going On – This metallic version of Frida’s 1982 pop hit is the first single from Heavy Rock Radio, and it’s a really fun surprise. Jorn took a very poppy song and made it a believable rocker.
2. Running Up That Hill – Jorn isn’t the first metal artist to cover Kate Bush, but he does her classic song the most justice (sorry, Angra). This is another very pleasant surprise.
3. Rev on the Red Line – This is the second Foreigner cover from Jorn, and it’s a solid one. No real surprises, but it’s a fun addition.
4. You’re the Voice – Blind Guardian also took on this John Farnham song, and they probably did it better. Still, this is a very uplifting version.
5. Live To Win – Another surprising choice, this is the title track from Paul Stanley’s last solo album. It’s such a great rock anthem, and Jorn is always on point when he’s belting out an anthem. This one is probably better than the original.
6. Don’t Stop Believing – They tweaked the intro to this Journey classic, but after that it’s a pretty standard cover. It’s a great song to begin with, and Jorn does a good job with it. Like the Foreigner cover, though, this seems like kind of a safe choice.
7. Killer Queen – Queen covers are not to be taken lightly. Fortunately, Jorn and company absolutely nail this one. This will make you want to hear more Queen covers from him.
8. Hotel California – This Eagles hit is one of the most recognizable rock songs ever, and this is a solid cover. It’s maybe not the most exciting version, but it is enjoyable.
9. Rainbow in the Dark – Well it wouldn’t be a Jorn covers album without a Dio track, would it? This is the first of two, and of course, Jorn does it justice. After so many other Dio covers, though, this seems like overkill.
10. The Final Frontier – This is such a left field choice. It’s the title track of a recent Iron Maiden album and is probably the last Maiden song you’d expect Jorn to cover. He does a good job, but even Jorn can’t make this forgettable song a standout.
11. Stormbringer – At some point Jorn is just going to have to do a Coverdale covers album like he did with Dio. He totally nails this classic Deep Purple tune, to the surprise of absolutely no one.
12. Die Young – The second of two Dio covers, this one from his Black Sabbath days. It’s a great song and of course, Jorn sounds great. Again, this is a very worn path for him.
You can quibble with the song selection on Heavy Rock Radio, but the execution is up to expectations. Jorn has a way with covers, so this album is a total must-have for Jorn fans. No, the world probably didn’t need another Jorn covers album, but until he’s really inspired to make a great original album (and let’s not kid ourselves, Traveller and Bring Heavy Rock to the Land weren’t his best efforts), hearing him take on some classic songs will do just fine.
Genre: Heavy Metal, Melodic Hard Rock
Band:
Jorn Lande (v)
Trond Holter (g)
Francesco Iovino (d)
Thomas Bekkevold (b)
Alessandro del Vecchio (k)
Track Listing:
1. I Know There’s Something Going On
2. Running Up That Hill
3. Rev on the Red Line
4. You’re the Voice
5. Live To Win
6. Don’t Stop Believing
7. Killer Queen
8. Hotel California
9. Rainbow in the Dark
10. The Final Frontier
11. Stormbringer
12. Die Young
Label: Frontiers Records
Website: www.jornlande.com
Hardrock Haven rating: 8.75/10
