JOURNEY – Freedom

It goes without saying that yours truly ought to have reviewed such a high-profile release by a legendary outfit sooner than this, but better late than never, right? AOR rockers Journey are back with a potent and well-written record that recalls past musical triumphs while also looking to the future, and these gentlemen know perfectly well how to capture melodic rock magic in a bottle and conjure up memorable songs filled with magnificent vocal melodies, tasty hooks, interesting arrangements, and that surreal and pristine-sounding atmosphere that is almost ethereal and dreamlike at times. If there is a minor problem with the album, it is its slightly excessive length in that a few relatively unremarkable pieces do crop up now and then. However, the LP is generally a most pleasing and enjoyable listening experience, and that especially goes for the latter half where fantastic cuts such as ‘The Way We Used to Be’, ‘Come Away with Me’, ‘Let It Rain’, ‘United We Stand’, and ‘After Glow’ appear. I am madly in love with the latter and consider that one of the band’s finest compositions to date. Singer Arnel Pineda delivers on all fronts throughout, and all in all, this is splendid addition to Journey’s discography that shows that there is still a lot of creative juice flowing within the band. Simply put, Freedom kicks ass and makes me feel very excited as to what the future holds for these veterans.