Under the wise guidance of Swedish producer Martin Kronlund (LOVER UNDER COVER / PHENOMENA / DOGFACE / GYPSY ROSE / SALUTE / WHITE WOLF) here is another impressive studio Project ( that maybe could hit the road and visit many venues very soon), a brand new AOR/Melodic Rock Band that features a bunch of well known reputed musicians in the British and Norwegian scene.

Of course, as you might expect, the style is highly tagged in the 70's Hard Rock style spiced up by some slightly AOR flavors ("Monday Morning" and "Skyscrapers") and timeless roots coming from Rhythm & blues like on "Across The Barricades" or "Through The Eyes Of Liberty", crafted in a timeless method with plenty of classic hooks!

The SKYSCRAPER line up is articulated around the guitarist/Songwriter Tor Talle (NORTHERN LIGHT) who had previous played with the top of the cream of the AOR singers : Jorn Lande / Joe Lynn Turner / Fergie Frederiksen (R.I.P.) / Rob Moratti or Steve Overland. His talent of composition is more than obvious. This superb songwriting capacity is only equaled by his juicy tone. Even if he's far from the guitar hero extravaganza, indeed he adopted quite a discreet profile but his impeccable yet still perfectly convincing melodic potential is fully translated into the recording.

The other founding member is the exSHY singer Lee Small (exNATIVE CAIN / exCLOVEN HOOF / exSURVEILLANCE / OMEGA ) who's singing his heart out ("Fay Wray"), and reveals once again here his soulful voice in the great Glenn Hughes (CALIFORNIA BREED / exTRAPEZE / exDEEP PURPLE / HUGHES & THRALL / HTP / ex B.C.C. ) tradition. The vocal similarities are manifest and a blessing, his singing only, is in my opinion worth enough to justify the buying of the album with closed ears ("Sweet Little Sister"), but the real asset of this new combo is the superb coherency of this duo built under a fine combination that blends creativity with skills and a true savoir faire!

The pair of experienced veterans is seconded by Bassist Dave Boyce (AIRRACE / THE QUIREBOYS) and Imre Daun who had performed drums with legendary Swedish AOR band DON PATROL and also recorded a batch of recommended albums such as UNION MAC / RADIO SILENCE / OVERLAND / PHENOMENA a usual session player in the projects related with Martin Kronlund .

The short opening track "Sail Away" is a sensational song that start with a soft pace but quickly takes another form, enhanced by some clever arrangements in the most elegant AOR trend. The fantastic melodies and the feeling displayed in the piano driven "Everybody Cries Sometimes" are top notch and not really far from the original FM / PHENOMENA polished style .

This signature sound is more or less present in the structure of each song with some inclusion of more unusual parameters, it could be a new Pop sensibility revealed in the character of "The Sky Is Turning Blue", or the surprising exotic run of "Runaway Hearts", while "Playing With Fire" is in the more syncopated British Hard Rock fashion. I also really dig the energetic temper of "Walk Through Fire"/"Where Love Is Waiting". There is not a single trace of a filler track here!

This album rightfully entitled "Elevation" is destined to be a real treat for the Classic Rock/AOR mature fans community, I hope they will praise this platter to its real value!