Balance Of Power – ‘Fresh From The Abyss’

Melodic prog rockers, Balance Of Power return, with their latest album, ‘Fresh From The Abyss’, out now, on Massacre Records.

A glitzy, dramatic offering, ‘FFTA’ was co-produced by Toby Jepson (Little Angels, Wayward Sons, Planet Rock DJ) and Lionel Hicks, mixed by Mike Plotnikoff (Halestorm, Black Stone Cherry, Fear Factory, Papa Roach), mastered by Simon Francis, with cover art and design by Stuart Dilley and Antz White. Photos by Neil Jackson.

As heavily impacting as it is complex, ‘FFTA’ is designed to speak to people, relatably, in real-time; focusing mainly on life and death. It stands as their best melodic work, yet.

Featuring guest contributors, Pete Southern and Adam Wardle (additional guitars) and John K (additional keyboards), BOP is: Hazel Jade (lead vocals), Chris Young (guitars), Adam Wardle (guitars), Tony Ritchie (bass/vocals) and Lionel Hicks (drums).

BOP will play Bloodstock Open Air Fest, in Derby, on Saturday 4th September, alongside many prestigious bands.

Last Man Down – Huge sonic intro, building in catch, straight away. Sleek guitars, propulsive drums and gritty power vocals throw out the volume. Very confident delivery. Extra sound effects accompany the rest. Strong melodies. Hooks aplenty, solidified by those anthemic backing vocals. Utilising reverb, perfectly, at the end. Great start).

Never Be Here Again – Minor explosion opening. Into a sombre refrain, before lifting, to a higher vibe, while sustaining the meaning. Tense and release well handled. Natural grasp of catchy hooks. A fragile bridging section yields, to louder heaviness. Plenty of vividly vibrant riffage. Happily memorable lyrics, easy to capture. Ideal close, embedding contagion).

Monster – Synths intro; groove-laced slanted riffs follow. Once again, sealing in that catchy contagion. Good Halloween material; stacked with passion and more memorable hooks. The bass is just audible, creeping in, around the bridge. Got to admire that huge vocal powerhouse. Drum rhythms knitting in, comfortably. That chorus is idyllic hit territory. Closing definitively and dramatically.

Rage Of Ages – Hitting the peak, immediately, with a perfect vocal height! Moving, fluidly, into a more contemplative tone. Those melodies are perfectly pitched and passion-infused, from the start. Once again, although there’s a more melancholic strand to this, the choruses blast it upwards, infectiously. Lots of colourful riffage; long enough to absorb and immerse yourself in. That vocal close is just tremendous.

Abyss – Banging drum intro! Straight into the feeling. Lyrically, Halloween-esque, again. A gothic strand inserts itself into this, much like before. As much catch and chemistry as the rest. In complete sync, throughout, with screams as gritty as they are sharp. Drums emphasising their point, while a coarse extremity adds to the vocal edge. Another blistering end.

Velocity – A synth intro, with a bit more drum impact, booming out the violence. Vocals killing it, once more. Well measured rhythms. So much passion pours from every note. A cinematic vibe to this track. Loaded with powerful, accessible melodies. Another thoughtfully crafted chorus, as memorable as before.

Deadlands – Laying it down, instantly, with that hard rocking groove. Equal strength in each component. Real empowered passion in those vocals; never wavering. A little more breathing space, in places, but the heat and energy never let up. Brilliantly placed riff scales, after the bridge. The drum rolls cement the whole sound; building and sustaining the rhythms. Taking it to a dizzying end and fading out, smoothly.

One More Time Around The Sun – Bringing it down, to a more relaxed vibe, now, with acoustic riffs and an emotional vocal poignancy. There’s breath inside this track, almost ballad-like; showcasing versatility. Impacting percussion, again. Still as strong, with extra meaning imbued within; lifting higher, in places. That extraordinary power never leaves it and those impassioned riffs scream with feeling. Yet another intelligently crafted chorus, replete with memorability. The acoustic sections blend, so artfully and beautifully with the electric landscape. Fading out on an acoustic dream).

Overall – One listen and this will hook you. ‘FFTA’ is one of those masterpieces that were born to shine. Just immense, from beginning to end, with flawless and extraordinary talent. If you’re looking for authenticity and soul-forged passionate conviction, this is the place to come. A hotbed of unyielding, rock-drenched grit and melodic contagion and charisma, ‘FFTA’ is an exceptional album.

10/10 **********

For fans of Lesbian Bed Death, SIVA Addiction, Space Parasites, Arapacis, Halestorm, Hole, Dogma.

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