Question: Does Starbreaker’s new album Love’s Dying Wish fit into the Eurorock category? Too right it does, I say. Okay figurehead and singer Tony Harnell was born in San Diego and the last time I looked that wasn’t anywhere near Europe. However, half of the band is from Europe and as this album is band driven rock – that’ll do for me! Tony Harnell of course does have a rather impressive pedigree. (TNT, Westworld among others) and his voice can still shatter glass at a hundred meters. On guitar you have the amazing Magnus Karlsson from Sweden, bass is covered by newcomer Jonni Lightfoot, who replaces Fabrizio Grossi, and the drummer is the renowned John Macaluso (the last two are from somewhere else. Okay, it’s the USA). But Karlsson is quite extraordinary and is an essential part of this album and everything that Starbreaker promises to be. He previously worked with Harnell in TNT but has also worked with Magnum’s Bob Catley and is one of the most respected European heavy rock guitarists in the business. Under his list of influences is one Steve Morse, now of Deep Purple, and the similarities are more than a bit obvious.Tony Harnell may have been quiet of late, by his standards at least, but having spent a while working on a Robin Hood Rock Opera, as Robin of course, he felt the time was right to get Starbreaker back together again. Love’s Dying Wish (Frontiers Records, August 2008) is the rather impressive result following on from the band's self-titled debut album in 2005. It has to be said that the first album showed a huge potential. Harnell has one of the best rock voices there is and, on this evidence, it hasn’t lost any of its power over the years. Karlsson as we have seen is an exceptional guitarist, Macaluso is a drummer of the highest quality, often in demand from the great and the good. So, did they pull it off with Love’s Dying Wish?Certainly Love’s Dying Wish represents a slight departure from where the first album left off. It is an effective combination of the heavier side of contemporary melodic rock, which taps into both Harnell’s and Karlsson’s undoubted strengths, but also has a darker, moodier side. The whole is extremely well mixed by Tommy Hansen who captures some fine performances from the band, particularly the pairing of Harnell and Karlsson. The song writing is extremely strong with some powerful melodic rock hooks resulting in a fine album.
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