Unstoppable
The Radio Sun
•
November 26, 2017
Stop. Look around you, you are in 2002. Fantastic, you are now ready to fully enjoy this album. Seriously, it's actually a pretty well-done album from a technical sense, but man this concept has been done before, and a lot. However, you gotta give them credit for doubling down on their sound, it is definitely very purposeful. They ultimately want to go back to the classic days of rock and roll where bands constantly tour, the the lead singer even stated he wanted to put out a new album ever year. They released "Wrong Things Right" in 2014, "Heaven or Heartbreak" in 2015, "Outside Looking In" in" 2016, and now most recently "Unstoppable."
This album altogether is a nonstop barrage of power hard rock that never really slows down into ballad form, and it maintains it's consistent upbeat tempos and pulsating riffs. Track eight "Why Must I" slows things down a bit more, but ultimately what you hear right off the bat in track one "Heaven on Earth" is what you're going to get throughout the album. Happy, upbeat songs driven by groovy rhythm guitars, a strong bass line, poppy drums, and of course the classic rock clean vocals. Although I will say going flat on a big note in the first 1:00 of a song isn't the greatest way to start objectively, but altogether it works out fine and sounds good. I'm picky though, what can I say. Track four "Tonight's the Night" is pretty cheesy and poppy, but man I have to give them respect for not attempting to go with a soft track as many rock bands tend to do in the track four slot.
They keep the album moving along with the same motif of upbeat pop hard rock, and it seriously never really slows down. I like that, sometimes you get the feeling a band is trying too hard to write songs one way, as opposed to just writing what they want to. I don't get that sense here, which is something I always am looking for. But, it ultimately is nothing special and does not stand out musically, however enjoyable it is. Track eight, "Why Must I," is perhaps the song I enjoyed most from this album. It is a bit slower, and much more melodic like a ballad. However, it still keeps up the grooving base, and there are some neat climaxes with the rhythm guitar that have that sweet sweet chugging feel I love so much. Complete with the soaring vocals that show vocalist Jason Old is at his best when he's belting, I think this is actually a fantastic song.
Album closer "You're Everything To Me" is the other song on this album that takes things a bit slower and could qualify as a more ballad type song, but what makes it different is it does it in a very typical closer fashion. Slow, building guitars. Thematic melodies, you get the idea. That being said, it works well to cap off the sound of the album. Pretty predictable, but it still sounds good. I like what these guys are doing here, and I think there is a very real market for them to successfully tour. Especially if they can find a way to make more unique melodies.
6 / 10
Had Potential
Songwriting
Musicianship
Memorability
Production
"Unstoppable" Track-listing:
1. Heaven On Earth
2. Only You
3. You've Got The Torth
4. Tonight's The Night
5. Surrender Your Heart
6. Dreams Should Last Forever
7. Set The Night On Fire
8. Why Must I
9. Unstoppable
10. Whenever You Want
11. You're Everything To Me
The Radio Sun Lineup:
Jason Old - Vocals
Stevie Janevski - Guitars & Vocals
Gilbert Annese - Drums & Vocals
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