Blind Alley - Infinity Ends


Year of Release: 2004
Label: AOR Heaven
Catalog Number: n/a
Format: CD
Total Time: 59:13:00

With mixed emotions I listened to Infinity Ends, the debut album of the Swedish project- based band Blind Alley. Officially it is not their debut album, as they released their official debut album, called On The Way, already in 2001, but on mp3.com. Blind Alley consists of three members: Magnus Olsson (guitars, keys, bass, programming and drums), Hans Dimberg (vocals) and Pierre Glans (guitars, vocals). They started to record their first song in 1996 and after their debut in 2001, they started to work on what has now become Infinity Ends. According to their website, the band "is formed around the love of the two most important elements in music: great melodies and great vocals."

Well, I can say they have succeeded in that, as Infinity Ends has excellent vocals and beautiful melodies. However, it is AOR, music that will appeal to a wider audience, but most likely less to the more metal and/or prog minded listener. The album is song orientated, with fairly simple melodies. The first half of the album balances on the fine line between pop and rock, but the last few songs change a bit and become a bit rockier. "Payback Time" has a slightly heavier rhythm, ditto guitar and a nice guitar solo. "Wild Rose" has an atmospheric keyboard intro, but the base melody sound suspiciously similar to Gary Moore's "Over The Hills And Far Away"! The last two tracks on the album, bonus tracks, have a more proggy touch to them, thus making them my favourite tracks of the album, in which the vocals on "Internal Affairs," this time by Pierre Glans, are quite good.

AOR albums are as AOR albums are, free to "Forrest Gump," meaning it all depends on your taste. The compositions are good and the band members obviously like what they're doing, so no problem there. Production is good, artwork is great, but I find the music too close to pop music most of the times, so it will not easily become music I will listen to often. But that is my taste, hence the low rating. But be my guest and give it a try; on their website are several samples, so you can listen to it, and maybe you like them more than I do. In that case this is a very good album!

Similar bands: Toto

[This review originally appeared February 2004 at the ProgPower Online review site -ed.]
Tracklisting:
All Figured Out / We Still Belong / One Life / S.O.S. / Shadow From My Heart / Here Comes The Heartache / From Now On / Hunter / Stay The Night / Payback Time / Wild Rose / Bonus Tracks: Internal Affairs / In Your Hand

Musicians:
Magnus Olsson - guitars, keys, bass, programming and drums
Hans Dimberg ?vocals
Pierre Glans - guitars, vocals.

Discography:
On The Way (2001) (via mp3.com)
Infinity Ends (2004)

Genre: Meldoic Rock-AOR

Origin SE

Added: November 26th 2004
Reviewer: Marcel Haster
Score:
Artist website: listen.to/blindalley
Hits: 2101
Language: english

  

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