{"id":36642,"date":"2014-02-03T09:44:43","date_gmt":"2014-02-03T14:44:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/hardrockhaven.net\/online\/?p=36642"},"modified":"2014-02-03T09:44:43","modified_gmt":"2014-02-03T14:44:43","slug":"lover-under-cover-into-the-night-cd-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hardrockhaven.net\/online\/2014\/lover-under-cover-into-the-night-cd-review\/","title":{"rendered":"Lover Under Cover | Into The Night<\/em>"},"content":{"rendered":"

by Joe Mis<\/span>
\n– Senior Columnist —<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"LoverThe Swedish near-supergroup Lover Under Cover has just released Into The Night<\/em>, a solid follow up to 2012’s debut Set The Night On Fire<\/em>. Despite this being a sophomore album, the members of Lover Under Cover have many decades of experience, and it shows in all aspects of their new CD. If you like soaring guitar lines, tight bass and drum work, strong vocal harmonies and music that is just plain fun and always melodic, Lover Under Cover’s Into The Night<\/em> should be high on your list.<\/p>\n

Lover Under Cover’s roster reads like a \u201cWho’s Who\u201d of Scandinavian hard rock and metal: Mikael Erlandsson (Last Autumn’s Dream, Salute, Secret Service), Mikael Carlsson (Rain), Martin Kronlund (Phenomena, Gypsy Rose, Dogface), and Perra Johansson (Coldspell). LUC’s roots go back to 1982, when Erlandsson and Carlsson played together in the band Rain. They kept in touch and finally the stars aligned enough to allow these two brilliant musicians to truly begin their collaboration, eventually leading to LUC’s 2012 release. They bring a huge amount of experience together and display the influences of Coldspell, Last Autumn’s Dream, Treat, and a number of other Scandinavian rock acts, but their music is truly their own.<\/p>\n

\u201cA Fight\u201d kicks the CD into high gear immediately. Like most of the other tracks it is built around slick vocal flows and energetic rhythms and riffs contributed by drums, bass, and guitar \u2013 with a healthy but not overdone dose of keyboards. Erlandsson’s natural vocal rasp is well suited to the music, and the entire band seems fired up and ready for the rest of the tracks. Punchy riffs and great drum work leads into the smoky and blues-rock tinged \u201cInto The Shadows\u201d, a barn-burner track with an old school feel to it. Erlandsson’s vocals are top notch, and Johansson’s drums push the rest of the band to keep pace on what is arguably the best song on the album. \u201cMiracle\u201d has a bit of a pop rock feel, akin to something Bon Jovi or Hardline might do. The band covers Martika’s \u201cToy Soldiers\u201d decently, but this track is so different from the others on the album it is a bit jarring when it hits. \u201cCrushing Stones\u201d dials the intensity and grit levels back up, but maintains a bit of an 80s feel with strong keys and vocal performances \u2013 think Gotthard.<\/p>\n

\u201cLife Is Easy\u201d has great rolling groove under a simple lyrical flow and low key guitar riff. Guitars and keyboards work to perfection on this track. \u201cPlayboy No. 7\u201d features some neat Hammond keys and a very bouncy drum line, nut the lyrics seem a bit repetitive \u2013 not one of the stronger efforts. However, \u201cThe Game Is On\u201d is pure grit, one of the heavier tracks, and it is filled a smoldering intensity thanks to excellent guitar \/ keyboard coordination and great bass work. \u201cFantasy Man\u201d is a decent low key rocker with an outstanding guitar solo, while \u201cCloser To The Truth\u201d is a cheerful and upbeat track with a great counter rhythm between laid back vocals and intense guitars. \u201cNo Place Like Home\u201d wraps up the release in a kicky blues rock manner, with the band focusing on the only thing that matters \u2013 family. This final track features some amazing guitar works and a will be the band’s sing-along masterpiece.<\/p>\n

There is no doubt \u2013 Into The Night<\/em> is a great melodic rock album. The well written songs are only enhanced by flawless performances, enthusiastic delivery, and the precise engineering done by Martin Kronlund. Unlike the implications of the band’s name, Lover Under Cover shouldn’t stay hidden. These guys rock, plain and simple, and Into the Night will most likely land on a number of top 10 lists by 2014’s end. Lively, energetic and fun, this album is the epitome of melodic hard rock. Very highly recommended!<\/p>\n

Genre: Melodic Hard Rock<\/p>\n

Band:
\nMikael Erlandsson (vocals, keyboards)
\nMikael Carlsson (bass, keyboards, guitars, backing vocals)
\nMartin Kronlund (guitars)
\nPerra Johansson (drums)<\/p>\n

Track Listing:
\n1.\tA Fight
\n2.\tInto The Shadows
\n3.\tMiracle
\n4.\tToy Soldier
\n5.\tCrushing Stones
\n6.\tLife Is Easy
\n7.\tPlayboy No. 7
\n8.\tThe Game Is On
\n9.\tFantasy Man
\n10.\tCloser To The Truth
\n11.\tNo Place Like Home<\/p>\n

Label: Escape Music<\/p>\n

Website: http:\/\/www.loverundercovertheband.com\/home<\/a><\/p>\n

Hardrock Haven rating: 9\/10<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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