Year : 2000 (Z Records Reissue 2015)
Style : Melodic Hard Rock , AOR
Country : Sweden
Audio : 320 kbps + all scans
Size : 144 mb
Info:
Dreamhunter is a Swedish hard rock band that has released two albums; Kingdom Come in 2000 and Bad Attitude in 2001. Both albums have received a lot of praise in the hard rock press, no doubt thanks to the catchy, hookladen songs.Before name band have a name LIFE LINE.This band have made tons of great demos but their only releases are two singles and the 4-track CD 'Anyway You Want It', which is a hard-rocking AOR platter well worth investing in. Great vocals, songs and musicians. The first single was produced by Tommy Nilsson (Easy Action) and with the right backing it could have been a great hit. The band actually recorded three songs for the compilation 'Alsterett (Aktiv Ungdom)' already in 1978, then under the name Gain. On the first 7" the line-up featured Olle, Perry, Lena Johansson (v/k), Janne Hedström (b), Mats Lindström (g), and on the second Ulrica Carnell (k/v) joined. In 1994 Life Line received great interest from a Japanese label. Everything was set and ready... until the record company found out the members had just passed 30. Too old to rock 'n roll, they thought, and told them - no thanks. Per and Olle were later working as a duo under the name Vibe and the music became a bit more pop-oriented. In 2000 the Life Line returned with almost the same line-up, except Lindström had been replaced by Thomas Lassar. They took the name Dreamhunter, and recorded new 2 albums.
Album:
DREAMHUNTER was one of the first bands of the New Wave of Swedish Melodic Hard Rock, right how we know the genre today: combining the bliss of the '80s with a sharp & bright sound. Dreamhunter released two stupendous albums in 2000 / 2001 through Z Records in Europe and Pony Canyon Inc. in Japan.Now Z Records is reissuing today, August 14th, both long time out of print Dreamhunter albums. This "Kingdom Come" was their awesome debut.Dreamhunter definitely delivers some sonic highlights in "Kingdom Come", caught somewhere between the melodic vice of fellow Swedes Dalton and the high octane energy of German rockers Boysvoice. It's a pure '80s style Melodic Hard Rock with power AOR touches, all revitalized with a modern and updated sound.I still remember at the end of the '90s when two tracks ("Kingdom Come" and "Anyway You Want It") were circulating long before the actual release of the album on various samplers. I fell in love with Dreamhunter. Actually "Kingdom Come" was already in my Song of the Year position before the album even came out in 2000.And it's precisely title track "Kingdom Come" which opens the album and paints my AOR sky a wonderful shade of blue right away. An extremely positive rocker that got stuck in my all time top 50 songs."When Heaven Calls Your Name" is another rocker in the same vein, more rocking and absolutely awesome, rish in harmony vocals and biting guitars."Anyway You Want It" already known from the samplers is a bit different with it's brass synth supported refrain it delivers a definitely modern feel in the best possible sense of the word. "Night After Night" reminds me of the great AOR bands of the '80s again but it rocks a bit more and the sound is definitely up-to-date with a very balanced mix.Another highlight of the album is the first ballad "My Days Are Counted". A piano chording based song, a bit similar to Heart's classic Alone but with that special desperado feel that Bon Jovi's Wanted Dead or Alive or Steelhouse Lane's Son of a Loaded Gun delivered. This is a wonderful ballad that gets right into your heart.Then we get some more rocking tunes, all of finest quality, some with more modern sound, some just in the classic uptempo or midtempo '80s vein ("Long Cold Winter", "Tell Me Why You Love Him", "Young Wild and Free")."All Dressed Up But No Place To Go" is a bit different again with its classic rock piano lines and earthy instrumentation. The album closes with another wonderful ballad "Take My Breath Away" that reminds me of the Mutt Lange produced Bryan Adams albums or (again) the great keyboard driven AOR bands of the '80s.On their debut "Kingdom Come" Dreamhunter managed to melt everything that is fine in Melodic Rock / AOR music in one album and with mentioning all those great bands and classic songs above I just wanted to show how good this album is.I hear also some of the very early Jaded Heart, Harem Scarem or Aces High, and even some of the present heroes of the genre Eclipse / Erik Martensson.Yes, "Kingdom Come" by Dreamhunter is considered a cult classic, but for me it's just one of the best albums of the genre in this new Century.
Line-Up:
Stig Gunnarson - vocals
Olle Zimmerman - guitars
Peter Otterborg - bass
Perry Karlsson - drums
Thomas Lassar - keyboards
Tracklist:
01. Kingdom Come 04:22
02. When Heaven Calls Your Name 03:17
03. Anyway You Want it 03:26
04. Night After Night 03:22
05. My Days Are Counted 04:11
06. Long Cold Winter 03:36
07. Tell Me Why 03:41
08. Young Wild and Free 03:08
09. Rose Tattoo 03:41
10. All Dressed Up 02:44
11. You Take My Breath Away 04:37
12. The Confessions Of An Ordinary Man (Bonus Track)
Download links for all albums only on our blog here: http://goodmetalandhar.do.am/
