From their EPK, “In 2023 longtime friends and songwriters Carl Berglund and Peter Ledin decided to put together the band that they dreamed of, a band that would close the gap between classic AOR and modern rock and bring something new to the melodic rock scene. They teamed up with bass player Mikael Hagström, drummer Richard Holmgren to form the new melodic rock group NATIONWIDE. The band searched for a completely new voice and are happy to introduce singer Daniel Groth. Daniel was an immediate perfect match, and his voice became the color and nuances that completed the musical artwork that Peter and Carl had begun sketching. NATIONWIDE is all about the refuge that music means to us all. That music has no national borders, it is NATIONWIDE.”

AOR was born in the 1970’s, and some say at the bands of BOSTON or JOURNEY. It flourished in the 1980’s, and as a teenager during this time, I ate this sound up. By the middle of the 80’s, this sound ruled the airwaves as much as Pop music did. By the end of the decade, there were so many bands signed to deals, it oversaturated the market. “All good things must come to an end,” as the saying goes. Grunge made sure of that, at least in America. But the AOR sound, not willing to die, just moved overseas, especially in Sweden, and the Swedes love their Pop music. The challenge in today’s market is how to make the sounds original and fresh, and to avoid the pitfalls of the forefathers of the genre. Let’s see how the band fared by getting to some of the best songs on the album.

“Fade Away” has a mid-tempo pace, and a combination of keyboards and guitars, and also a tender sound that is thick and full, and the vocal harmonies are great, “Can’t Get Over You” has a weighted bottom end but the top is so emotional, and the melodies are on point, “Without You” has a retro 80’s power ballad feeling, and delivers another strong chorus, “Passion Ignite” is a real rocker with some energy and crunchy guitar riffs, “Echoes” has some tough hooks and tough lyrics, and is the kind of song that you can sing along with, “The Last Goodbye” has tender and emotional elements, and is led by piano, “Reason” has another crunchy riff and a memorable sound, and the closer, “The Other Side,” has an old school mix of keyboards that remind me of DEEP PURPLE.  Overall, this was a solid AOR album, that featured great vocals, a crunchy backing of instruments, energy and enthusiasm, and confidence on the part of the band. The hooks were memorable, and catchy, and this is an album that you can crank up to 10.