The Norwegian hard rockers that are Ammunition unleashed this self-titled torrent of well-written and utterly catchy tunes just a few days ago via Frontiers and if you consider yourself a fan of quality rock, then I suggest you pay attention. Fronted by the hugely talented vocalist Åge Sten Nilsen (Tony Carey’s Rainbow Project, ex-Wig Wam), Ammunition sound like a band reborn in that this 11-track effort of theirs trumps its predecessor, ”Shanghaied”, in every conceivable way. The level of focus, structure, and discipline that permeates this 2018 opus is pretty remarkable and the songs are just fabulous.

The riffs are sharp, the songs contain so many hooks that it borders on the absurd, and the band as a whole is right on the money and delivers every note with intensity and conviction. Face-melting cuts such as "Time", "Caveman" and "Wrecking Crew" are among the best hard rock/glam rock compositions that I have had the fortune of coming across in quite a while. That also applies to the infectious and irresistable "Eye for an Eye". This is some memorable stuff indeed. The soaring vocals courtesy of Mr. Nilsen are superb and fit the song material perfectly and he covers a lot of ground here vocally in the sense that the songs are dynamic and diverse affairs. The rhythm section consisting of Victor Cito Borge (bass) and Magnus Ulfstedt (drums) is rock solid, the impressive guitar-slingers that are Erik Martensson and Jon Pettersen totally deliver on all fronts, and the work of keyboard maestro Lasse Finbrathen is most tasteful throughout. There is generally a lot of cool interplay between all the musicians involved and some great harmonies present on the disc too. Heck, you can almost hum the melodic solos! On top of that, the album boasts a really strong and booming production; it sounds fucking massive and full of spirit!

While one could argue that this is a glorious throwback to the eighties, "Ammunition" also comes across as modern and fresh. This is the kind of stuff that will brighten your day and put a smile on your lips not to mention that it will make it impossible for you to sit still while listening to it. Charming, entertaining, and excellent, this is a must-have if glorious and vital rock music with a hard and raw edge to it appeals to you.

 

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