Brazilian hard rockers Landfall turned out to be a very cool and uplifting surprise to yours truly. With a strong emphasis on great melodies and even greater vocal hooks, there is just something delightfully wicked about this eleven-track effort of theirs. It could be the upbeat and instantly catchy tunes or perhaps those moments when the song material veers off into a slightly more melancholic and emotionally charged territory. Maybe it is just the simple fact that these guys craft compositions that contain color, nuance, and a decent amount of passion. Although parts of it do recall Journey as the accompanying promo sheet states, “The Turning Point” leans more towards acts such as Lynch Mob, Unruly Child, Dokken, and TNT to these ears.  
 

What appeals to me here is that Landfall’s brand of melodic hard rock/AOR is less polished (and way less sterile!) than that of countless similar outfits and groups out there, and this album of theirs is not merely an enjoyable and solid listen but also a warm and dynamic offering. It certainly could have been a tad raunchier and more adventurous, and I doubt that it will manage to demolish your living room, which is to say that there are more explosive and fiery LPs out there than this one, but it possesses soul, charm, and plenty of well-written pieces. Contrary to many other releases by Frontiers Records, Landfall’s record actually has a proper band-feel to it, which is awesome.  
 

“The Turning Point” is not original by any stretch of the imagination but it definitely gets the job done in a convincing manner, which is best exemplified by the raw and energetic “Taxi Driver” and the loud and driven “Rush Hour”. It will be interesting to see how Landfall evolve musically in the future. Worth checking out.