TESLA - review added 10th December 2008
Album Review: Forever More (2008)
For fans of: hard rock... and music with just a little hint of sleaze
The tesla is a unit used in measuring how strong a magnetic field is. Apparently 16 of them is enough to levitate a frog. I have no idea if this is assumed physics or someone actually measured it. You'd have to be pretty bored to try and levitate any sort of amphibian. Right, where's my salamander?
Anyway, Tesla the band present this, their 7th studio album. Forever More is a combination of straight ahead hard rock and 80's metal sleaze. The aural debauchery is mainly due to Jeff Keith whose voice has a gravelly off-key sound with bundles of charm. WIth any other singer this album could struggle for personality, but with Jeff it sounds like a night on Sunset Strip.
The songs themselves vary from the great to the vaguely anonymous, but the overall vibe is of a solid album with plenty to like. The title track is a fine opening. With a murky guitar sound and a selection of twiddly acoustic breaks and solos it has a strong character.
The remainder of the album follows a similar pattern, combining guttural rhythms with cleaner moments. 'I Wanna Live' has a wonderful sing along chorus, 'So What' makes you want to shout along instead. 'All Of Me' is a speedier number that'll take you breath away then stamp on it. 'In A Hole Again' has a monster riff playing through it, even if the song itself is not that memorable.
Forever More certainly has it's moments. Sadly it doesn't have enough of them to earn classic status. It isn't a bad album, not by any means, but it lacks a modicum of sparkle. The sound is doom-laden and a tad overbearing in places, but it'll still appeal to a large number of people.
Check out... 'Fallin' Apart'. A nice modern(ish) rock ballad.
Track List:
