Thought this was a new piece of music by the Portuguese quartet, but it's actually a Perris Records reissue of FAITHFUL's debut album. Light This City was originally pressed in 2003 and did quite well in the worldwide market of melodic Hard Rock music. In Japan, especially, it was voted as album of the month in Burn! magazine plus it peaked #11 at the country's Hard/Heavy charts. Not bad for an album that lacked elementary promotion/distribution in Europe/America.
2008's Horizons follow-up was reviewed a year or so ago, and I grabbed the chance to dust it off and confirm its average level in songwriting and kinda poor volume in the mix/production field. Still, the 2003 debut is a more appreciated album and this can be easily tracked from the first time you'll listen to the CD. There's more dynamics in the band's songs, with a more pounding rhythm section and a fine voice by singer Sirgio Sabino. Well, at times you may be stuffed with his similarities (or influence?) to post-80s Jon Bon Jovi's throat, meaning the vocals are more than predictable, still he fits quite well to the music; a mix of early HAREM SCAREM, 90s BON JOVI, HONEYMOON SUITE or NUCLEARVALDEZ may someone bring to mind while listening to songs like You Won't Get Me Now or Light This City.
The guitars work is appropriate, with not much of technique but rather a clever tendency for fills and leads themes. In fast tunes the quality is obvious, while in more mellow stuff things are kinda weak (something that's widely seen in the band's 2008 CD). Thankfully, the fast-tempo cuts get the lion's share over here.
For fans of fresh melodic Hard Rock as instructed by BON JOVI and HAREM SCAREM in the 90s and onwards, Light This City is a good proposal; not exciting, by any means, but definitely presentable. Check it out if oyu come across it.