A long time ago, collaborations between artists from different bands was a sign in the sky, the beginning of anticipation, the waiting for a breakthrough. In our era, collaborations are something that can happen anytime - anywhere - anyhow. The results are rather average, but in cases like DECOY there's this something that can tease your ears. There trully is...
Songwriter and guitarist Torben Enevoldsen (SECTION A, FATAL FORCE) and singer Peter Sundell (Ex-GRAND ILLUSION) joined forces in 2005, after Sundell's departure from the Swedish AOR(?)sters. Need some time for something different? It seems so, since DECOY's music is more 'heavy' than GRAND ILLUSION's, to tell the truth. Not that the songs Enevoldsen penned lack melody and sentiment, but the existence of countless riffing is the 'key A' to what DECOY count on.
Apart from this, notable is the way Sundell sings in this album, choosing to perform one time like e.g. James LaBrie and the other like Jorn Lande or Goran Edman. Some may recall his appearance in the DEACON STREET project (last year's II album), so as to receive some info regarding his throat; an - overall - fine voice, both melodic and wild.
As for the tunes themselves, they too stand one foot in the current 'polished' Metal field with some looks all around for both Prog or Melodic Rock 'smells'. The soloing, on the contrary, sees main inspiration from the Y.J. Malmsteen collage. Still, the general idea of the Call Of The Wild tracklist is rather interesting - how many can relate their taste to bands like SPEEDY GONZALES, for example? - but the categorisation is not an easy task. By any means...
Fine the production may be; good the DECOY album can stand alone. European hard rockin' Metal should we call it. Not for old-school metallers or 80s AOR fans, this album stands in the middle. If you can understand the intention, you'll get Call Of The Wild, I suppose...