TRACK LISTING
1. Still In The Game.
2. Waiting On You.
3. Blackscape.
4. Tico's Life.
5. Nobody Answers.
6. Loosing My Mind.
7. Freedom Is My Truth.
8. Veda.
9. Songs Of Yesterday.
10. Killer Without A Cause.
11. Center Of Balance (live)

2000 Toshiba - EMI / Mascot Records

Running Time: 52.07

 

PREVIOUS RELEASES
Face It Live '97 (1998)
World's Away (1996)
Total Control (1987)		 RELATED ALBUMS (IN SOUND)
Black Label Society - Sonic Brew (1999)
Gary Moore - Corridors Of Power (1982)
Alice In Chains - S/T (1996)

 

John Norum is the guitarist who first rose to critical acclaim with the band Europe and their mega smash album 'The Final Countdown'.  However, John left the band shortly after they left for Venus to concentrate on his own solo projects.  His first couple of solo albums 'Total Control' and 'Face The Truth' showed an artist who had the innate ability to combine stunning solos with the catchiest and classiest melodic metal around at the time.  More recent efforts like 'Another Destination' and 'Worlds Away' showed a more aggressive sound take over and while by no means bad, didn't match up to the earlier reputation John had earned.  Norum also recorded a superb album with Don Dokken called 'Up From The Ashes' that is largely forgotten and he was even offered the guitar slot in the reformed Dokken when George Lynch walked yet again [Reb Beach took the position when Norum declined].  This album has been 4 years in the making and has been hailed as a return to form - lets see?

 

1. STILL IN THE GAME (3.47)
Opening with a mass of guitar and an a tough aggressive sound blows away any similarities to 'Total Control'.  The track sounds more like latter day Norum with its aggressive edge.  This time around John himself is handling all the vocals and his voice is like a mix of Thin Lizzy's Phil Lynott and Alice In Chains warbler Layne Staley.  Having said that the track is quite forgettable really with only the solo making the track stand out, however this is not unexpected as Norum has always been a world class soloist.  

2. WAITING ON YOU (3.30)
The track opens with a drum fill and a heavy riff that has a bluesy bounce.  However the track then takes a grunge flavored turn for the verses and repetitive chorus which see that typical vocal approach.  Again the track doesn't say a lot and I am a little disappointed so far but the solo does make up a bit of lost ground with John playing some nice licks over the dense rhythm and the effect here is quite successful, only the chorus comes  back in and spoils things.

3. BLACKSCAPE (5.13)
Things pick up again with 'Blackscape' with another interesting riff only to be wrecked by the mock grunge verse.  Of course no grunge band could come up with great riffs like this but that is little comfort.  The chorus is a big improvement on that last but again sounds very 'grunge/alternative' with its harmonised lines and heavily effected vocals.  The album does sound good though with a big bold production that makes the album kick out the speakers but so far I have not heard anything to truly grab my attention.  The bridge is pure Alice In Chains and sounds a little naff when you know where Norum has come from.  The solo does see some more superlative playing with some Yngwie-ish runs.

4. TICO'S LIFE (4.43)
Again a big bold riff opens the track with an intensity similar to Zakk Wyldes current 'Black Label Society' project and Johns voice here now starts to make more sense.  The chorus is pretty good with its simple refrain of 'Where will I go, How will I know, Where will I go, I would love to find direction without a word'.  This is certainly the best track so far with the riff seeming to drill a hole direct to your brain and John throws in another superb extended solo that sees him really kick some dirt into your eyes.  Towards the end the track takes a turn into another good riff and while its a bit of an abrasive transition it works pretty well.

5. NOBODY ANSWER'S (4.50)
Unfortunately the album doesn't capitalise 100% on the new found life on the last track.  'Nobody Answer's' sounds scarily like the stuff George Lynch has been forcing on us with his latest album 'Smoke This'.  Luckily John makes the track different enough and the chorus sees a nice refrain that throws some melody into the works. The solo is pretty early Gary Moore-ish and I just love the note John opens the solo with - waaarrghhhhhh - that great vibrato John has and which is reminiscent of Michael Schenker, it's a pleasure to hear every time.  The track sticks to the chorus for the outro and the album is starting to gather a little pace.

6. LOSING MY MIND (5.56)
Another grunge-ish heavy riff opens the track followed by a vocal sound that is similar to Don Dokken's effected stuff on the 'Dysfunctional' album.  The track slows down for the verse which sees quite a bit of restraint.  Unfortunately John's voice sounds a little isolated but when the big guitars kick in they sound better grounded.  The pre-chorus sees an uneasy melody line that does nothing for me.  The second verse sees John's voice sitting easier in the mix for some reason, maybe its the slightly buried bluesy licks that help.  The track has quite a long outro that sounds a little messy at first but gradually gets its point across.  A bit of a strange track.

7. FREEDOM IS MY TRUTH (4.47)
The Alice In Chains sounds is again prevalent here especially in the double tracked vocals.  The riff progresses slightly for the chorus and the lyrics are pretty good here - 'What goes up comes down and round, it all comes back to you.  What's in is out its me and you, Freedom is my truth'.  The solo is typical Norum, flashy licks with a bit of class that rises it above the pack and the strongest riff of the track is found under it, I wonder why that wasn't used in the main body of the track?  The outro sees a vocal harmony from what sounds like Mats Leven, a quick check of the inlay shows that he has done some backing vocals so I presume its him.

8. VEDA (4.40)
This track is another up tempo number and sounds like it could be a speeded up version of a outtake from Black Sabbath's 'Sabbath Bloody Sabbath' album, John sounds eerily like Ozzy here!!  Again the riff is another success.  The chorus sees some more good spaced out lyrics 'All the seas that have burned, nothin' can change in a day.  All the seas that have burned, damage is done all the way'. A good track built on a very solid riff and it's a highlight of the album.

9. SONGS OF YESTERDAY (4.41)
Another interesting riff that has a Zakk Wylde flavour to it, but the verse travels into a similar territory to Thin Lizzy's 'Opium Trail' [which John covered on the 'Face It Live 97' album] with John's sounded the most like Phil Lynotts than it has anywhere else on the album. The chorus sees a lot of the old Norum magic return and it could of been an outtake from 'Total Control' or 'Up From The Ashes'  quite glorious.  Overall another strong solid track

10. KILLER WITHOUT A CAUSE (4.04)
A cover of the Thin Lizzy classic and it's a highlight of the album.  The simple fact that the verse sees a lot of melody speaks volumes about what has been lacking elsewhere.  John voice is scarily like Lynott's and this serves as a good reference for John biggest influence.  A great track  and a great rendition.

11. CENTER OF BALANCE - LIVE (6.26)
This is the bonus track from the Japanese release and luckily Mascot have managed to get it on the European release.  Yes this is a live version of the track from the 'Worlds Away' album and I presume it was recorded from the same batch of gigs that the 'Face It Live' album was recorded at.  This was one of the highlights from the 'World's Away' album and again it comes up trumps here.  Leif Sundin takes over the vocals that Kelly Keeling sang on the original and I must confess to thinking that he hasn't quite nailed it.  Having said that it is still a great version with the same great live sound as on 'Face It Live' and unfortunately it again outshine most of the new material on this album which is not the outcome I should think John wanted.

 

The majority of 'Slipped Into Tomorrow' is messy and seems to lack purpose.  When it does get going it is quite good but pails into insignificance when put against 'Total Control' or even 'Worlds Away'.  Its obvious that John is trying to do something new and maybe the next release will see him doing it better but the majority of the material here is quite average that is normally saved by his guitar work - which has lost nothing by the way.  I think the main problem is John's voice which in all honesty is a little one dimensional.  On previous releases John has always had a vocalist who perhaps showed a bit more quality control and brought out the best in John songwriting, all too often here it sounds like a barrage of riffs.  I'd imagine that if this album was released in 1995 it would do pretty darn nicely in the grunge infested waters of the time but 5 years on it can be seen as having missed the boat.  No this wasn't the album I was expecting or hoped for and while it does have it moments of which I am sure many of you will enjoy it just doesn't have the stamina to put it up with John's best.  In summary a bit of a disappointment.

Rating
6.2
Review By Andy Craven
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