I'm certainly not going to forget this debut release from German band CRANE in a hurry. Their sound is pretty unique, and each song on this CD is so catchy, you'll be singing them in your head long after the first listen. This band has got a lot to offer, that much is clear, and "Refuge" is an impressive album.

Let me say this right off the bat - Armin Schueler is a very good singer. He boasts an impressive range and very clear vocals. CRANE's Melodic Heavy Rock style is reminiscent of bands like EUROPE and DOKKEN but they make the genre their own. "Refuge", as a whole album, is very good. The songs flow nicely into each other, with a couple of quieter songs - "Soul II Soul" and "Love" (although both of these still have very good solos within them) - which break up the album a little bit whilst still showing off the musical talent this band has. It should come as no surprise that the man who assisted with the mixing of this album - Beau Hill - has also worked with such people as RATT, ALICE COOPER, and BOB DYLAN.

My favourite track is the brilliant "Wake Up". It opens with an awesome riff, it is possibly the catchiest song on the album, and whilst it doesn't feature a bona fide solo, the fret work is extremely good. Talking about guitars, Escher and Fernandez provide consistently good back up to Schueler'svocals. And that's not forgetting the brilliant drumming of Christian Klaus.

I've only got one slight niggle with this album. During the song "Capital Fascism", the way Schueler pronounces the title is slightly off putting. Now I'm not sure if he does to make the rhyme work, or if it's just the way he says it and he can't help it, in which case I apologise. But when he sings 'fascism', he puts the emphasis on the last two syllables, and it's quite jarring. It almost sounds like he's saying 'fa-shizm', and it's... odd.

For anyone who's a fan of Melodic Rock, you're sure to like this. It's great to listen to, Schueler's voice is very nice, and the other three members of the band are very talented. I don't think CRANE have anything new to add to this genre, but "Refuge" is a very good example of it, and definitely worth checking out.