LONERIDER are a British album-oriented rock band. They released their debut album "Attitude" back in 2019 and within the space of three years, their latest body of work "Sundown" was born. "Sundown" was released on February 25^th, 2022, via Escape Music.

The first track on the release is titled "Fantasyland". The track begins with a killer riff, with Steve Overland's electrifying vocals taking the lead. The song very quickly evolves into the chorus, which is memorable and catchy. You will most certainly be singing along after the first listen! This is the perfect genre of music for Steve Overland, as his crooning vocals really do all the talking here. Definitely the best track on the release! Next up is "Cross the Border", which has a real LYNYRD SKYNYRD feel from the first few seconds. The riff sounds pretty similar to "Sweet Home Alabama" from the get-go. "Undefeatable" also has a true classic rock feel, which most certainly works well in their favour. It has a really positive message, telling fans that they are undefeatable, and they should love themselves to the fullest. Another great song!

"Harder Love" is up next, which is another emotional ballad. It appears as though the lyrics are about a rocky romance and how the pair will never be parted, however difficult and challenging things get. "When You Got Nothing" almost has a romantic aura about it from the start. However, once the song gets going, it has a gritty rock sound that is instantly recognisable with LONERIDER. Steve Overland's vocals sound very much like BRYAN ADAMS in "Any Way the Wind Blows". The song feels like it could have been a previous B-side from the iconic Canadian musician. "Yesterday's News" begins with another fantastic guitar riff, before Steve Overland really ups the ante and kicks things up a notch! Saying this, I feel at this point that the music should be getting a little more experimental this far into the release.

"Badlands" is on a slightly different wavelength, with a smoother riff leading the track in the right direction. Even though Overland's croons are spectacular on many levels, the song does feel mundane in comparison to other tracks on this album. "Wild River" amps things up with a livelier riff keeping your attention, with "Criminal Mind" having a similar feel. It is certainly the kind of track you can imagine LONESTAR playing in 30 years' time and it being a truly legendary moment. Next up is "Prayer for the Lonely" is another standout track on the release, with an iconic feel just like the last. The last song on the album is "Devil Road", which instantly captures your attention with an addictive guitar riff. It closes the album on a great note, showcasing not only Steve Overland's incredible vocal talent, but also the band as a whole.

Overall, "Sundown" is a great effort from LONERIDER, however there is certainly room for improvement. I feel like even though some songs are very memorable, many of the tracks on the release seem to be just filler. Saying that, I appreciate the fact that they clearly know what musical direction they want to take this early on in their musical career, which is always a fantastic thing. However, this is only their second full body of work - there is definitely time to improve their sound in the future!