Once a Glam Metal enthusiastic and now a darkened nature artist, asking questions and seeking for answers. It has been a new journey in the life of the Indie Norwegian / American songwriter and instrumentalist Joseph Kimbrell, aka Vitne, an excursion that evidently took him far from his previous endeavors and into a newly kind of reality. A little while ago, Vitne released his sophomore album, "Jupiter", showing a sort of mystical scenery, a person concealing himself in the shadows, not really sure which way to turn. Though I wouldn't really want to be that person, what this murky panorama generated took Vitne's music and incorporated a pitch black effect to its nucleus.

Essentially there is a reflection of the known mixture of modern aged Pop and contemporary Hard Rock. I couldn't really refer to it as Neo AOR, first because it's wrong, and second due to the spawned simplistic heaviness that exists on several of the songs that doesn't exactly fit the profile of touchy mood approach. The songwriting is directed to be marketable, easy to comprehend, something that would sink in to stay. Generally, it worked. However, I believe that there is an edge to "Jupiter". There is a chilly and vibrant Gothic experience, which can explain why this release sounds closer to the Dutch HIM or Finnish POISONBLACK rather than the burning sensation of the Hair nation. Partially, the culprit of this line of thought is also Kimbrell's tender vocals that served entangled melancholic and divine motifs. In a sense, the album's Gothic features became integral elements that escalated the effort into being more than just another of the same.

Lead single "Masquerade" mustered the blacken atmospheric track, turning up the groove, memorable catchiness that would return you to its clutches in a blink of an eye, a barrier between Rock, Metal and Pop, a promise also for the Alternative nation. "Lion" is a simple and to the point tune, nothing cutting edge but a straightforward effort driven by heavy riffage and wonderful vocal performance at its helm. "Far Away" delivers a HIM oriented feel, a fine touch of Modern Hard Rock, swept by a foggy nature that took it forward. The finish touch of "Say Goodbye" revealed to be one of the album's top driving forces, a heavy tune with a few selected guitar / synth harmonies, so simplistic that it hurts, yet, ended up being a blissful result.

I bet that the Pop culture could get a crack at "Jupiter", the fact that it has loud guitars in it doesn't mean that wouldn't be suitable. Nonetheless, I think that this album is a level up in comparison to some of the awful standards that nowadays Pop inflicts upon artists. Vitne is multi-talented musician with a voice of an angel that could white or black, and his songwriting abilities are a prospect for a bright future. I recommend giving this album a chance and you won't be sorry.