Terra Nova – Come Alive (Released on Frontiers Records)
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I remember getting into Terra Nova with their excellent ‘Livin’ It Up’ release and I can tell you that this new one starts in a similar fashion with title track ‘Come Alive.’
The band has managed to capture a whole host of potential influences here, with just the opener!
Strong and powerful opener, very akin to ‘Livin’ It Up’ it really is, but I hear hints of like Journey meets Van Halen and then some! Again, this is only the opening track, with plenty to shout about here.
‘Fighting Yourself’ next starts with a tasty keyboard lead piece, then the punchy guitars join in, I really love the keyboard riff on here, very catchy stuff!
In ‘Holy Grail’ a get more than a hint of Bon Jovi meet Goo Goo Dolls, with a little Journey (Again!) thrown in too, how does that sound?! As a track like the opener on the album, I hear a slew of sound familiarities here. Love it!
The three previous tracks have all been of an up tempo nature, so ‘Here Comes The Night’ offers a slight breather as a slower paced number, no less catchy though.
Erm, anyone remember a song called ‘Life in a Northern Town?’ I can’t help thinking of that song to a degree, with the chorus here. Still, it’s a good song with a nice guitar solo.
‘Those Eyes’ reminds me of some other influences too, but I’ll leave it there, you figure it out! Nice power type ballad.
Oh boy, I’m going to do it again … ‘Under Pressure’ tends to remind me more than a little of a Donna Summer song, sorry but .... Remember 'No More Tears / Enough is Enough?' The similarity is to the 'Enough is Enough' bit.
It’s a mid to quick paced number, with an interesting song structure with the different changes.
Chug along rocker ‘Do or Die’ sounds like one of those familiar rock riffs that I can’t put my finger on. Big chorus and nice guitar solo too.
I have to say a lot of the guitar solo work is very akin to the widdly, widdly brigade ala Malmsteen and Vai at times.
‘Who Can You Count On’ without doubt reeks of Bon Jovi! Sorry guys, but it really does. Mid paced pop rocker.
I really like ‘My Own Way’ and it comes on a little at times like opener ‘Come Alive.’ It’s a pop rocking song that slows down and then picks up and then the solo just goes off at a completely different tangent.
It’s a different song in its overall structure, you think it’s going one way then it takes off a different way, so a very apt title indeed!
OK, has Steve Perry come out of retirement?! Nah, sorry, Fred Hendrix has a good voice which at times hints at Journey or Steve Perry, but ‘The Final Curtain,’ very much brings Journey to mind.
I think this is a good album, which at first I wasn’t too sure about beyond the opening few numbers, but after a few more plays, I think a little more of it.
I’ve already mentioned singer Fred Hendrix, but you can’t fail to be impressed by the guitar work of Gesuino Derosas and the busy keys work of Ron Hendrix, not to mention some great fills from drummer Lars Beuving.
The harmony vocals are all good too and the bass comes courtesy of Eric Coenen.
I can’t say it’s a killer album though, it has its ups and downs but certainly a little better than average, but not too bad at all.
Rating: 3 out of 5
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