NEONFLY - Outshine The Sun (2011)

In today's overcrowded metal scene, Neonfly is a hard working London based band that have managed to create a unique sound.
A couple years ago the group recorded a good self-released EP, unnoticed for the major audiences but gained a respectable underground fan base.
Led by guitarist Frederick Thunder, with Paul Miller on bass, Patrick Harrington on guitar and Boris Le Gal on the drums, the latest addition to the Neonfly line-up was the awesome vocalist Willy Norton, far better than their previous singer.

"Outshine The Sun" is the highly anticipated full CD from Neonfly, and if you though this debut was going to be a good album, then you are pretty wrong… It is amazing, it is one of the best, original albums of this year in fact.
Their style is truly innovative; blends melodic metal with melodic rock, rocking AOR and melodic prog... a strange salad? Not at all, it really works. And Rocks like Hell.
If you ever wanted an album that will appeal to any Rock music fan then this is the album to do, with eleven all killer no filler sing along hits on it.
How is that?
Their song structures follow the classic melodic metal (even power metal, double pedal drums abound) but the sound is crispy, melodic and sometimes proggy.
I mean, on many tracks this album has the catchiness of the best euro melodic rock, with terrific commercial choruses, and some arrangements are modern AORish sounding. Original eh?
And the best thing is: works awesomely.

This band remembers me the greats Balance Of Power, sometimes CITA, a dash of the more commercial Dream Theater and on a couple of tracks even aorsters H.E.A.T on steroids. That's thanks to some memorable choruses and excellent vocal arrangements.
Willy Norton is a revelation, his pipes and vocal color easily would fit on any major Melodic Hard Rock grand band of the actual scene.
Frederik Thunder has a terrific guitar sound and super technique on the six strings, perfectly complemented by Patrick Harrington, both fighting on hot guitar duels, sometimes very heavy but clean and smokin'. All sustained by a solid, trepidating rhythm section.

There are so many memorable moments on this album.
Time flies by when listening to the first five songs. All are great, but if I had choose just one, I'd say that "A Gift To Remember" is the pick of the bunch thanks to its glorious chorus.
The sixth song "The Ornament" is an instrumental, giving a chance for Thunder and Harrington to trade off some gorgeous lead guitar work.
The band rocks hard again on the second half of the album. The charmingly titled "Spitting Blood" is one my favourite tracks, with a great, intensive chorus and a perfectly placed key change.
With its' oriental flavours, "Morning Star" is one of the highlights, while the (at times) balladic "The Messenger" features yet another fine vocal performance from Norton. Soft, clean, rough and tormented... the guy displays a real rainbow of emotions. Cool keys too, and some tasty shredding there.


"Outshine The Sun" is terrific rockin' album in a year that doesn't stops to surprise me.
Neonfly have it all: hooky choruses, skilled musicianship but warm and organic, potent sound but melodic, heaviness but an irresistible catchiness as well, and most important of all; great, original, varied and diverse songwriting.
"Outshine The Sun" is definitely a contender for the debut album of the year.
With hard melodic rock that makes you want to sing along, but also makes you want to mosh like a madman, this CD is one of the most original Rock recordings in a long time.
Highly Recommended.
You've seen it here first, at 0dayrock



01 - Broken Wings
02 - The Enemy
03 - Ship With No Sails
04 - A Gift To Remember
05 - The Revenant
06 - The Ornament
07 - Reality Shift
08 - Splitting Blood
09 - Morning Star
10 - The Messenger
11 - I Think I Saw A UFO


Vocals - Willy Norton
Guitars & Keyboards - Frederick Thunder
Guitars - Patrick Harrington
Bass - Paul Miller
Drums - Boris Le Gal




BUY IT !
http://neonfly.net