Steve Overland: one of the finest melodic Rock voices in Britain. The passion, the uniqueness in expressing emotions, the warmth of his voice. Whoever's occupied himself with the deeds of FM (hail!), SO! or SHADOWMAN (or even WILDLIFE, for the older readers...) surely knows what we're talkin' about. THE LADDER, 5th band/project in a row, portrays Steve's mellowest side, hence the review will be brief enough due to the lack of average irrelevance to a Hard 'n' Heavy mag's content.
2004's Future Miracles debut THE LADDER album did create a murmur, I can recall. THE LADDER, featuring something more than half of the 'classic' FM lineup), provided the world with a notable melodic album, a fine blend of AOR, Westcoast and British 80s Rock. In that album all guitar duties were handled by axeman Vinnie Burns (TEN, DARE), while now Austrian guitarist Gerhard Pichler (MELODICA) steps in for Sacred.
In Sacred, things do not seem to have changed that much. FM lovers will find interest to this one, too, while Melodic Rock followers will be interested in the beautiful harmonies, dual vocal lines etc Sacred offers, as long as everyone can take as granted the fact that THE LADDER's sound is 'light' enough even for the likes of Hard Rock/Melodic Rock fans. While in Future Miracles enough where the songs that brought FM to mind, in Sacred the co-relation is limited to Overland's throat and the melodic lines; still, the sound is too polished and 'gentle'.
The songwriting is exceptional but too 'sweet'; Sacred will please all commercial melodic fans (but noone else). Take into consideration, too, the lately announced headlining appearance of FM at this year's Firefest festival (UK) and...Steve Overland already has two good reasons to bear a sunny smile. So long!