With a cover that oozes sex and rock 'n' roll, I was really looking forward to Outloud, a Greek five piece that has been around for a few years now, but instead of getting a slice of Pussycat sleaze as I was expecting, what I actually got was a much more melodic band more in the vein of Danger Danger (the fact they're signed to AOR Heaven should have given me a clue, eh?!).

Formed in Athens in 2004 yet having only released one disc (2009's 'We'll Rock You To Hell And Back Again') they have found a sound that any melodic rocker will be happy to listen to. This is rock which occasionally nods to 70s heroes such as Kansas ('Someday') and Thin Lizzy ('Underground') yet keeps the basic style of AOR glam running throughout.

Seemingly massive in their homeland (100,000 youtube hits, regularly topping the Greek charts, MTV rotation and national TV appearances) this second disc, 'Love Catastrophe', is the disc which they are saying will define them as musicians for years to come.....

Opener 'We Came To Rock' is pure American anthemic 80s glam yet we see their true colours in the next few tracks; 'Falling Rain' (arguably the best track on here, a melodic rocker with a great guitar solo that the likes of Europe would record and be proud of), 'Live Again', a Whitesnake-esque hi tempo rocker that showcases the talents of Tony Kash on guitar, and debut single 'Waiting For Your Love' is soft rock at its most saccharine. American Chandler Mogul (ex-Talon) does a great job on vocals throughout - strong enough to carry each tune with a slight swagger yet he never takes over a song. Definitely something that hinders or corners too many bands in my opinion.
 

All the 10 tracks on this disc, whether they are anthemic blasts or melodic odes of love, are all well written, well produced and, more importantly, they all sound like a band that are really trying to push themselves into making that defining album they crave.

Certainly worth a look if you just love and need more AOR glam and rock in your life.

www.outloud-rock.com