Rain - Stronger
MTM Music

file under hardrock / aor

Guus: ‘Stronger’ is the title of the new album from Rain and main man Michael Bormann, who handles the bass and vocals in the band. With this product he releases an album that is on the same level as his work with his other bands (like Jaded Heart, Bonfire, Charade, Zeno, BISS and Letter X). He is accompanied by a bunch of Norwegians, Per Helge Bruvoll on drums and on guitar Lars Forseth and Tore Moren. The band’s debut from 2002 sounded a lot like Bon Jovi, but in four years time that has diminished quite a lot and the band kinda succeeded in putting down their own sound. Especially guitarist Tore Moren sticks out, for on the majority of songs he gets a lot of room for his trickery, which sounds pretty good due to the clean and open production form Bormann himself.

Opening track ‘Do You Like Me’ is a blueprint for the rest of the album. An almost Dream Theater like riff with an likewise solo from Moren. The same goes for the next track ‘Insobriety’ and follow-up ‘Get Over It’. ‘Crazy’ is a nice and acoustic track, and we have to wait for the ‘Bed Of Roses’ like ballad ‘I’d Die For You’ and the song ‘Flesh And Blood’ to encounter some Bon Jovi references. The heavy guitar from Moren plays an important part again in ‘Let Me Be Your Favorite’, while ’The Other Side’ is a moment of tranquillity very much in the vain of the boys from New Jersey. Also rather calm is ‘Deserve It’ with beautiful background vocals from Forseth and Moren. ‘Love is By Your Side’ is dominated by acoustic guitars again, while ‘Lovesong’ ends the album in a worthy style. All in all a strong follow-up for the band’s kind of disappointing debut.

Score: 80/100 (details)

http://www.rain-web.de