LIONVILLE – So Close to Heaven

I am quite fond of the previous offering by the Italian outfit named Lionville, more specifically the album titled “Magic is Alive” from 2020, and so naturally, I was looking forward to the follow-up. Thankfully, “So Close to Heaven” is just as good if not slightly better than its predecessor, and this sparkling new disc of theirs packs a little more punch with respect to the production and the riffs than the 2020 effort did.

Although still firmly entrenched in the melodic (hard) rock/AOR genre, the record is more dynamic and interesting than the majority of similar-sounding products that are out there today. Lionville’s great ear for hooks and catchy melodies as well as their ability to strike a good balance between slick, keyboard-dominated verses and big, meaty choruses where the guitars really come to the fore is an inspiring thing to behold. Actually, the guitars are surprisingly heavy and raw in a number of places, which adds bombast and a nice organic touch to it all. Thanks to Lars Säfsund’s marvelous vocals, the superb musicianship, and the sheer class and sophistication of the songwriting, “So Close to Heaven” is definitely worth picking up on and a satisfying listen from beginning to end. The tracks “Only the Brave” and “Angel Without Wings” are some of their finest compositions to date.