TREAT - review added 5th March 2010
Album Review: Coup De Grace (2010)
For fans of: Hard Rock... and reeeeaaaaallllly long intro's
Coup De Grace marks 25 years of releases for well-regarded Swedish rockers Treat. It's their 6th official studio album (not including best-ofs and so on) and the first one this century. Was it worth the wait? Read on...
The album features long-time members Robert Ernlund on vocals, Anders Wickstrom on guitars, Jamie Borger on drums, and Patrick Appelgren on keyboards and guitar. New-boy Nalle Pahlsson (Vindictiv) plays bass, and Anders (with input from Patrick) produced the release.
The sound is everything you could realistically want from a hard rock album in 2010. It nods to the past in the harmonies and keyboard usage, but the album is still respectably modern and relevant. The production is superb and really lifts Coup De Grace another notch or two above most rock music you hear these days.
The songs are of a very high standard too. Not every track on the album is an absolute winner, but there certainly isn't any filler. In fact, the only odd moment is the huge-mungus intro that lasts almost two and a half minutes. It's atmospheric and well put together, but the album could have survived without it.
First track proper is 'The War Is Over' is bright bouncy sounding song with fairly dark lyrics. Cool opening though. 'All In' is a big chorused 1980's style track with thumping drums and an extrovert nature. 'Paper Tiger' is a league ahead though, and one of the biggest songs on the album. The chorus is utterly mesmerising and the bass work throughout will rattle your bones apart. Music doesn't get a lot better than this.
'Roar' might have something to say about that though! It's another song with a mammoth chorus and simply brilliant composition. 'A Life To Die For' is the album's first ballad, and what a beauty it is. It isn't overly soppy, and it's Journey-eque chords and riffs give it a classic, upbeat-emotional feel. As if to show they really aren't one-trick-ponies, 'Tangled Up' starts with a beast of a heavy riff that continues in louder or quieter form for the rest of the track. It isn't the best song on the album, but it's hard not to be drawn in by it.
'Skies of Mongolia' is a change of direction and sound. It's still Treat, but shows a different and very intriguing semi-symphonic side. 'Heaven Can Wait' is a really rather nice sounding song that struggles to get anywhere. It's memorable for where it is rather than where it goes. 'I’m Not Runnin`' is a somewhat slower, more thoughtful rocker with a decent offbeat vibe. 'No Way Without You' is a more straight ahead happy-rocker which rollicks along like a wagon rolling down a hill.
'We Own The Night' is another straight ahead track, but with a much bigger, nicer chorus. It's what bats would sing if they were unbelievably happy. 'All For Love' is feel-good extraordinaire, but perhaps not quite as special as it could have been. Final track 'Breathless' closes the album is superb heavy rocking fashion.
There's no doubt about it; Coup De Grace is a superb release. The lesser moments are only 'lesser' because the good moments are so amazing. Treat have definitely produced something that's up there with this year's finest albums. You need this now.
Check out... All of it.
Track List:
01. Prelude – Coup de Grace
02. The War Is Over
03. All In
04. Paper Tiger
05. Roar
06. A Life To Die For
07. Tangled Up
08. Skies of Mongolia
09. Heaven Can Wait
10. I’m Not Runnin’
11. No Way Without You
12. We Own The Night
13. All For Love
14. Breathless
Label: Frontiers Records
Artist's website(s): Treat , MySpace
