If you follow the offsprings of Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow and all their projects, it’s likely you will know the name Sunstorm, affiliated with the classic band through their lead singers: first Joe-Lynn Turner, and then Ronnie Romero since the Afterlife album in 2021. Filling the shoes of the iconic JLT is quite the task, but, after all, it is Romero who was chosen by Blackmore to join Rainbow on tour during their brief revival a few years ago, as well as for being their new voice to record a great anthology and even a bit of new music. Unfortunately, that was it; no more Rainbow projects materialised, but this was the explosive launch of Romero’s career, which since then has spiralled enormously.
Sunstorm is one of the many projects Ronnie has been consistently involved in. Their upcoming album Restless Fight showcases some serious talent, gravitating around the musical style of Rainbow and classical rock generally. From the first notes, this is energetic, upbeat, tasteful melodic rock, and is a 5-star release from start to finish. If you are a fan of AOR and the 80s – 90s rock music, this will be a feast for your senses.
If you are into your comparisons, you may find a hint of good old Yngwie Malmsteen here. The intro to ‘Hope’s Last Stand’ can’t not remind you of the guitar master, and the riffs are strongly pointing towards songs like ‘You Don’t Remember, I’ll Never Forget’. Malmsteen vibes can be heard in the riffs from ‘In & Out’ and ‘Running To You’, too. Romero’s history casts a shadow over the tracks ‘Dreams Aren’t Over’ and ‘Restless Fight’ with a fairly strong vibe of his main band, Spanish rockers Lords of Black. There are also glints of pure classic rock in the traditions of Journey, specifically in the ’80s sound of ‘Take It All’.
Listening to Restless Fight is like a breath of fresh air in a world where rock music is a tough business with bands doing their best to be different and make a stand. In this release, there are no surprises to be had, which can really be a good thing sometimes. This is a well rounded, perfectly flowing album, with no extremes, just brilliant melodic rock with perfectly arranged and performed compositions. Romero’s vocals sound mature, tamed, and very much at ease. One could argue that he is not being particularly challenged here, but this could also be the sign of a great talent: he doesn’t have to try hard to get the best results.
One interesting choice here is to pay tribute to Ozzy Osbourne with ‘Shot In The Dark’, performed very nicely indeed. And, like in their previous album, there is a fantastic ballad here, too: ‘Without You’ could easily top the charts and makes a perfect companion to a glass of mulled wine in front of the fire.
- Reviewed by Angelina Pelova.
- Restless Fight is released via Frontiers Music on 22nd November 2024.
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Track List:
1. I’ll Stand For You
2. Love’s Not Gone
3. Hope’s Last Stand
4. Shot In The Dark
5. Without You
6. Restless Fight
7. Running To You
8. Against The Storm
9. In & Out
10. Dreams Aren’t Over
11. Take It All
