Artist: Reckless Love
Title: Turborider
Genre: Hard Rock
Release Date: 25th March 2022
Label: AFM Records
Album Review
RECKLESS LOVE has a new album out in February 2022 after the band was on hiatus for several years. When I got their latest record ‘Turborider’ on my desk and read the note by AFM record labelling the band as “Hardrock”, I was quite surprised and curious as well. I know the band from several shows in Finland and Germany and if you had asked me, I’d have rather placed them somewhere between Glam and Hair Metal with some Sleaze influences during their earlier days. If someone mentions Hard Rock to me, two things come to my mind: the 80ies and the global chain that runs restaurants, bars and shops.
RECKLESS LOVE joined the AFM family last year and are now ready to release their 5th studio album and announced a tour for 2022. The album opens with the title track ‘Turborider’ and takes you straight back to the 80s, with tons of synths and voices that saw a computer makeover. The song was recently released as a single and will get lots of radio play as the spring approaches and people get into a party mood again, for sure.
The next song ‘Eyes of a Maniac’ is rather Pop prone, with the exception of a guitar solo, that would suit a Rock song. The synths are less shrieking and the chorus is one, that might be on your mind for a while. ‘Outrun’ was released as a single and might best be described as a feelgood Rock song, that starts with a good guitar melody, until soft drums kick in and only a decent synthies background sound directs your attention towards the vocals and the cool 80s style guitar riffing, inviting you to sing along.
Next you meet ‘Kids of the Arcade’ that starts with a guitar riff and the melody is being picked up by synths. Somehow it reminds me a bit of one of the songs of BEAST IN BLACK’s effort, but the mix is better and the instrumentation is less overdosed. The mid-tempo song has a chorus, that is a catchy one again “No pain - No gain…” And you might mistake it for a Pop song until the guitar solo kicks in. Knowing Olli Hermann’s live attitude and vocal range, I’m sure, that this will become a song to stir the crowd and I have THE LOCAL BAND’s last show on my mind, while writing these lines.
Significantly harder, RECKLESS LOVE introduce a cover of OZZY OSBOURNE’s ‘Bark At The Moon’. RECKLESS LOVE made the song their own and Olli’s vocals perfectly suit the 80s style of this one, that comes with great guitar work and the original and the cover version, pay attention to the solo part and have your air-guitar ready. In my books, the next one could have been left out. It seems that the guitar player wanted some space and so got the ‘Prelude’. It somehow reminds me of MOTLEY CRUE’s overlong intros back in the days, but at least after them all hell broke loose, while Reckless Love come with a feelgood Pop prone song that is strong on synthies, but so upbeat with some guitar riffing, that you can identify the 80’s Rock reminiscence. The song aims at radio play and the dancefloors of clubs and the guitar solo invites shredders to play their air guitar along.
To be honest, so far, I would not have identified ‘Turborider’ as a RECKLESS LOVE record, if somebody had given me the record for a listen through. This impression changed with ‘‘89 Sparkle’, finally there are clear vocals, great guitar work, upbeat but not too heavy drums, a song inviting you to a summer party with some Pop and Rock music. The next song ‘Future Lover Boy’ starts with the announcement of “Party time” and is a further feelgood Pop-Rock song.
The further I listened to the record, the more I was reminded of BEAST IN BLACK latest release and their soundscape, that more or less disappointed me. RECKLESS LOVE’s record is the contrary, the synths are not overdosed or unnerving but fit the albums mood and the lyrics topics perfectly. The fantastic guitar work gets enough space and make the songs rock.
To make ‘Prodigal Sons’ the last song on this album was a wise choice. With this hard and edgy Rock song, RECKLESS LOVE will reassure you, that they didn’t forget their Rock’n’Roll. Of course, there are synths in the intro, but then the hard guitar riffing kicks in, clear vocals with are more intense attitude, a chorus inviting a Rock crowd to shout along, hands in the air and lots of space for a guitar solo makes this one a trademark RECKLESS LOVE song. Honestly the album could have featured a few more intense Rock songs.
‘Turborider’ is for you, if you love 80s Rock, synths, computerized vocals and feel-good songs. If you hoped for good old Sleaze or Glam Metal, you might feel disappointed. The album aims at party crowds and radio play, but I’m quite sure, that the live versions of the songs will be delivered edgier and heavier.
Tracklist
01. Turborider
02. Eyes Of A Maniac
03. Outrun
04. Kids Of The Arcade
05. Bark At The Moon
06. Prelude (Flight Of The Cobra)
07. Like A Cobra
08. For The Love Of Good Times
09. ’89 Sparkle
10. Future Lover Boy
11. Prodigal Sons
Line-up
Olli Herman – Vocals
Pepe – Guitars
Jalle Verne – Bass
Hessu Max – Drums
Website
https://www.facebook.com/recklesslove
Cover Picture
Rating
Music: 8.5 / 10
Sound: 8.5 / 10
Total: 8.5 / 10
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