The Norwegian outfit known as Zelbo is a new addition to the scene but comprised of seasoned veterans and more or less spearheaded by the talented Dag Selboskar who has trod the boards with the band Da Vinci.

What exactly does “In My Dreams” have to offer other than its visually impressive and cool artwork then? Well, you get an interesting mixture of melodic rock, AOR, hard rock, and even a subtle touch of progressive rock now and again. In fact, parts of it bring to mind the works of Rainbow, Foreigner, and Deep Purple from the 80s, which is no bad thing if you ask me. Despite the fact that the musicianship is superb all around and that these guys obviously have a flair for knocking out gorgeous melodies and ear-worming hooks, it did take me a little while to truly appreciate its many interesting layers and nuances. In other words, this one definitely grew on me over time. However, it does contain a handful of tracks that are either somewhat bland or simply downright forgettable, which is a shame as it could have been better and more consistent than it is. The use of keyboards is creative and inspired, the guitars possess a bit of crunch, and “In My Dreams” is well-produced without being overly slick nor polished. Again, it is not solid from top to bottom with respect to quality and substance, but there are some meaty and exceptionally good tunes to be discovered here, especially the kick-ass “Heads Down”, the melancholy and moving “Beautiful Flyaway”, and the groovy “Get Up Get Over It”. Uneven but still a worthwhile listen and there are many wonderful ideas to be found on the disc.