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alifedivided echoes
Artist: A Life Divided
Title: Echoes
Genre: Electro Rock
Release Date: 31st January 2020
Label: AFM Records


Album Review

“Well, that was a nice trip back to the 80s!” I thought, when the last song of ‘Echoes’, A LIFE DIVIDED’s latest release, ended. “Modern rock with an 80s touch” was the journey’s motto, according to A LIFE DIVIDED. “Somehow everyone is looking back at the 80s at the moment…” I thought, when I read the not from the label, which is not a bad thing for some of the authors favourite bands had their best days in the 80s. Over the years, A LIFE DIVIDED toured with OOMPH, EISBRECHER, APOCALYPTICA, EPICA and many more, so if you are into their music, you already know the merge Alternative Dark Rock with Electronics.

“Finiteness is threatening when we love and live, but it can also be comforting when we grieve, experience hurt or have been disappointed. But there is always an echo, a quiet reminder, of what was.” - Jürgen Plangger (A LIFE DIVIDED)

Thanks for the warning guys and now let’s talk about the music. ‘Hello Emptiness’ greets you with a fantastic and very intriguing melody and makes it very clear that the band had the focus on the Dark Alternative and the Synth is only there to give it an 80s touch. All in all, a very good opener that leads over to ‘Dry Your Eyes’ that has a catchy melody and a touch that is very prone to Pop. ‘Addicted’ is a great song to get lost in, the melody and harmony make you lose track of time and ‘Confronted’ which is a song for those about to rock, will kick you back to life and the chorus invites you, to sing along.

‘Enemy’ seems to be clearly inspired by DEPECHE MODE and makes you long for more of these songs and ‘Rock’n’Roll Star’ destroys this hope, although it’s great coming to heavy guitar play and a song for the rockers in the audience. ‘Anybody Out There’ comes with growls, something you wouldn’t expect on A LIFE DVIVIDED album but mixed with good riffing, it’s a song you might like, if you are in Heavy Metal. ‘Push’ is very dynamic and driving with a typical 80s Synth intro. Once more the guitar riffing is really amazing, while the drums keep pushing and the song might get people on the dancefloor as rhythm and melody are clearly danceable.

‘Servant’ is very focussed on keyboards and ‘The Ordinary’ is exactly as the title indicates - a song that is very close to Pop and made for radio play. ‘Forevermore’, the CD’s bonus track, once more takes you back to DEPECHE MODE and then a fantastic journey through the 80s is over. A LIFE DIVIDED once more proved, that they are very good songwriters amazing intriguing melodies and pointed guitar riffing show, that they deserved the attention they got over the years from the scene.


Tracklist

01. Hello Emptiness
02. Dry Your Eyes
03. Addicted
04. Confronted
05. Enemy
06. Rock’n’Roll Star
07. Far
08. Anybody Out There
09. Push
10. Servant
11. The Ordinary
12. Circles
13. Forevermore (Bonus Track)


Line-up

Jürgen Plangger – Vocals
Tobias Egger – Bass
Tony Berger – Guitar
Erik Damköhler – Programming, Keys, Guitar


Website

www.a-life-divided.de / www.facebook.com/alifedivided


Cover Picture

alifedivided echoes


Rating

Music: 8
Sound: 7
Total: 7.5 / 10




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