SAFIRE - All Because Of You (2013)

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Australia has produced lately excellent Melodic Hard Rock acts, but the land of Oz never was precisely the mecca for the genre.
One of the bands keeping the flame alive during the nineties around the Melbourne circuit was SAFIRE, whom released a very nice self-titled EP in 1995 that have acquired quite reputation amongst collectors.
Now, after a 18 year break, all Safire original members have finally reunited to record a new album entitled "All Because Of You".

Safire's Melodic Rock sound is strongly infused by AOR elements, especially keyboard stabs and elaborated harmony vocals; all members contribute backings for good measure.
Stylistically, the quintet recalls eighties European bands of the genre, particularly from UK. I hear similarities with Change of Heart, Shy, Steve Overland, first Dare and obviously comparisons with pioneer Aussie bands could be made, being Roxus and Juno Roxas the first coming to mind.
Solid melodies crafted by melodic guitars garnish rockers like "Say You Love Me", "In Your Arms", the extremely catchy "Memories Live Again" and the
soaring "Crying". All really good and performed with good pulse.
The sound turns more sharp close to Melodic Hard on the punchy, Shy-like "Let You Go" and the groovy "Only Forever".

As said, Safire plays AOR too, and the ballads are impregnated with classy melodies: the beautiful acoustically filled "Why" and the American sounding, piano-driven "Could've Been Beautiful"
For the end Safire has reserved one of the highlights of the CD; "Making Me Feel", perhaps the track which best represents their sound: AOR overtones at the beginning and then explodes into a catchy Melodic Rock song with a winner chorus.

"All Because Of You" has been managed entirely by Safire, and curiously the band has decided to sell the album by themselves as well.
No Amazon, no iTunes nor even a website... it's only available on physical CD at the drummer's eBay store. By the way, the EP debut long time out of print can be found there too in limited quantities.
Despite its indie pedigree, "All Because Of You" is very well recorded, mixed and produced, but most important of all; this is real Melodic Rock / AOR with an '80s heart.
Recommended.


01 - Say You Love Me
02 - I'll Be There
03 - All Because Of You
04 - Crying
05 - In Your Arms
06 - Why
07 - 1995
08 - Memories Live Again
09 - Let You Go
10 - I'd Just Like To Say
11 - Could've Been Beautiful
12 - Only Forever
13 - Making Me Feel

Jase Old: lead and backing vocals
Steve Martret: guitars, backing vocals
Aaron Suter: keyboards, backing vocals
Mozz Walters: bass, backing vocals
Bill Georgio: drums, backing vocals





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