A really enjoyable listen then from a band with a touch of class and finesse.

Australian band Star Chase is a coming together of members from other Aussie outfits such as Safire, The Radio Sun, Somebody Else's Life and Square One, and have produced, to these ears at least, an excellent set of tunes that command attention from the very get go.

Coming out on the ever industrious MelodicRock label, they might just have got their hands on a real winner here. Boasting a deep, lush, twin guitar and keyboards sound backed with some excellent harmonies, Star Chase have delivered an album that's big on melodies topped off with some tremendous hooks to boot.

A lot of AOR/Melodic Rock these days does tend to be somewhat formulaic and manufactured but this doesn't seem to fall into that category, and there is the presence of a real band here. The writing, arrangements and production are all tight and stand up to scrutiny and with a nice mix of guitars and keys, but without either one dominating this album has a nigh on perfect blend.

Opener 'Wings Of Tomorrow' gets the album off to a fine start, delivering a stirring chorus and showing off some meaty guitar work and from here on in the quality barely dips. Although 'I Won't Wait', the first ballad on the album, does labour a little initially it still manages to win this reviewer over by its end. The title track, with some delicious harmonies and typically hard but melodic fret-work, does bring to mind the best of Stryper and then some, and is, for me, the stand out track on the album.

The other ballad 'Why' is probably one too many personally, but that's a minor quibble as the band really do excel when in Rocking mode; particularly on such highlights as the pumping 'Starting All Over' and the mid-tempo 'One Reason' with guitars and keys working in perfect unison, and finally the closing track 'Supernatural' which brings the curtain down in rip-roaring fashion.

A really enjoyable listen then from a band with a touch of class and finesse.

Malcolm Smith