Something else for you metalheads this time. RADIO EXILE takes you right back into the seventies and eighties with their fresh mix of Hard and Classic Rock. They have just released their self titled debut album, and it's one like they don't make 'em anymore. Well, almost never anyway.

Expectations are really high when you see with whom the individual members have played with live or in the studio over the years. It's a very imposing list, with greats like BOB DYLAN, PAUL MCCARTNEY, VAN HALEN and BLACK SABBATH among them. Nevertheless, they seem to reach and even outclass those expectations seemingly effortless, which makes it all the more impressive.

The first song on their album is "High Road, High Price", with an exciting guitar and drum intro, immediately followed by a cool guitar riff and singer Chandler Mogel's clear vocals. The chorus gives you your first flashback into decades long past, and after that you can't escape that atmosphere, no matter how hard you try. They suck you right into their little musical universe. And what a perfectly controlled guitar solo at that.

"Soulfire" is next up, and starts with the most enticing little bass line. What's already very striking as the way they play together as one. They've only formed this year but it sounds like they've been playing together for years and years. It's all just so well crafted, and the play between lead and backing vocals gives it that little extra still, especially in the a capella end of the song.

"No Pity On The Highway" has that 80's Glam Rock feel and could have easily been played by the likes of MOTLEY CRUE or WASP. What a guitar riff, and that little solo near the end just tops it all off. It could've easily been played by Slash. "Feels Like Home" is something different, more of a power ballad, but one like you haven't heard them in a long long time. It's emotional but not too much, and it just drips with feeling. The heartfelt guitar solo and the female backing vocalists give it that extra edge and make the song nearly perfect.

"Higher Than The Sun" has an intro which immediately reminds you of the very best of QUEEN. The rest of the song could have been played by them as well, but RADIO EXILE manages to force it right into their own sound. "Hang On" is another power ballad, different from "Feels Like Home" but just as good. In "Starting Over" once again the female backing vocalists do their thing and give the song that extra dimension which makes it just great.

"Down In A Hole" takes the band back to the eighties, for one of their more powerful and energetic songs. This could easily be a single, but to be fair, so could a lot of their other songs. The chorus, followed by an awesome guitar riff, is one of their best musical achievements on this album yet, and with these guys that's saying something. It really sticks with you.

It doesn't feel like it, but at this point the album is almost over already. "A Cross on Stone" is the last of their power ballads and can easily compete with the others. It lasts a little longer and seems to have an extra dimension because of the play with vocals, but it's still nearly impossible to pick a favorite. They can play different styles, tempo's, whatever you could desire. It's all just really good. They finish with "Road To Exile", another powerful Classic Rock song like you just don't hear them anymore. The end of an ingenious, versatile and very well-crafted debut album. These are surely the headliners of a lot of future bigtime festivals.