LONG SHADOWS DAWN – Isle of Wrath
- Posted on 07-09-2021
Featuring the inimitable Doogie White (Michael Schenker Fest, Alcatrazz, ex-Rainbow) on vocals and the hugely skilled multi-instrumentalist Emil Norberg (Persuader), Long Shadows Dawn offer epic hard rock that is filled to the brim with great melodies, wicked riffs, and gorgeous vocal hooks. This is quite powerful and hard-hitting stuff that has way more in common with Deep Purple and Rainbow than any other act from the Frontiers Records roster than I can think of right now. Actually, "Isle of Wrath" is akin to a cross between "Burn" by Deep Purple and the three marvelous Rainbow LPs that are "Long Live Rock ‘n’ Roll", "Difficult to Cure" and, not surprisingly, the underrated masterpiece that is "Stranger in Us All".
With its raw sound and evocative atmosphere, this is a real treat to listen to and a strong, musically cohesive piece of work that may not bring anything new or original to the table as such but which delivers quality in spades. What you get are well-written and varied tunes that pack a punch and the whole affair is a cracking good listen. In addition, it is sufficiently interesting to warrant many repeated listens. Some tracks are slightly more impressive and exciting to listen to than others, but overall, the record is pretty damn solid and totally worth investigating if you are a fan of 70s-inspired hard rock that oozes class. If you want a few teasers, make sure you check either "Star Riders", "Master of Illusion", or "Hallelujah Brother" out.