FANS OF THE DARK – Suburbia

Yes, this is just what the good melodic hard rock doctor ordered – a brand-new and crunchy-sounding opus by the lovable Swedish outfit known as Fans of the Dark. While their first offering, i.e. the self-titled opus from 2021, was quite entertaining albeit slightly uneven and lacking in truly amazing songs, Suburbia is a leaner and more focused effort all around.

The album explodes out of the gate with ‘Night of the Living Dead’ and is essentially a never-ending feast of excellent vocal hooks, strong riffs, melodic solos, and enticing atmospheres. Merging horror-related culture with meaty and memorable tunes in this particular manner works like a charm, and I must admit that I am a total sucker for this kind of thing, especially when it is done as convincingly as Fans of the Fark are doing here. These gentlemen have essentially taken all the best parts of the debut album and channeled them into a solid and electrifying piece of work with a wonderful charm to it. With its great production and surreal aura, this one comes highly recommended to fans and adherents of quality hard rock, and Alex Falk’s distinctive vocals are superb throughout. Did I mention that I love the album artwork too? Highlights include ‘Fright Night’ and ‘The Goblin King’.