Dreamhunter - Kingdom Come

For those concerned that Dreamhunter is another of these bands that have updated the 80s sound, and 'ruined' it, don't worry your heads about it another moment, for "Kingdom Come" is cheese metal in its purest form. You won't even know this wasn't churned out in 1988, along with its closest musical matches, like Cinderella, Ratt, Poison, and Kix. Fans of this genre are going to be in retro L.A. heaven while jamming to these authentic tunes. The only unsettling speck in the glam metal glitz blitz is the foriegn catch on the vocals, which reek strongly of Bon Jovi mixed with Shark Island's Richard Black, and a splash of a Robin McAuley's rough rasp at times. They are handled by Stig Gunnarsson, which is a tipoff that the slight foriegn accent is more than just a coincidence. Guitar is typically what would be expected from this kind of outfit, pristine and flitty, dancing around with enthusiasm. Musical complexity is not even an issue here, the target audience will be too busy dusting off their studded denim jackets and covering their locks in a cloud of hairspray to notice that this has all been done before, ten years ago even, and done alot better. But there's something quaint and beckoning about the cheddar that comprises the bouncy music and sex drenched lyrics. Yes, even the lyrics take us back to fantastic tattoos, running wild in the midst of not-so innocent youth, and long legged women with bodies and sexual appetities taken straight out of the pages of Playboy. The stories that are told are the stuff of men's dreams, but strangely (or not so strangely) the ones who clung to these tales of sweet decadence were, and still are women, who will no doubt be attracted to the sugary pop vocal layered chorus lines and swaggering axe solos.

1. "Kingdom Come" - Songwise, the most notable track also shares its name with the album title, a nicely done upbeat track, with a superbly pulled off rhythm and biting vocal style, which smooths up considerably on the chorus. The guitar solo is even notable for its bubbly urgency.
2. "When Heaven Calls Your Name" - A pumping anthem, similiar to "Kingdom Come" in many ways, but individual enough to hold its own. The toned down middle with chiming piano and sizzling guitar is handled with style. Not groundbreaking, but good solid stuff, with its fair share of catchiness.
3. "Anyway You Want It" - That testosterone fueled swagger that drove so many bands, from Ratt to Motley Crue is present here in heaps. The animalistic cry of "Ow ow ow ow" right before the main verse is strangely addictive. This is one to sing to or get up and dance along with, as it would have been a huge track if the year were only 1989, as it has the swing and fire this type of music begs for.
4. "Night After Night" - A big chorus has been fitted on this delightful little track, packed with some slightly different drumming, and lots of little details streaming through the music, such as spritzes of acoustic, some 80s synthesizer sounds, and little splashes of piano. The way the center winds down and then explodes back up with new found conviction is an unexpected treat.
5. "My Days Are Counted" - About time for a ballad don't you think, since we are just about halfway through? Well Dreamhunter is right on target, delivering a decent enough ballad, even if it is emotionally inept. Lyrically its a crooning bad boy tale, the dangerously attractive stranger haunted by the law, who is pleading for his girl to run away with him and grace his final few days of freedom with her beauty and presence. The rather subdued police sirens are admittedly, the perfect touch.
6. "Long Cold Winter" - A building opener of swirling keyboard sounds, is cracked open by some vicious drums and then thick, lush (Bon Jovi!!) vocals pile on top. I can't help but think of Cinderella's song by the same name, even if these two have very little in common, as this is a pounding rock track. The piercing quickness of the "nahnonono!!!" is highly reminiscent of Aerosmith's Steven Tyler.
7. "Tell Me Why" - It's not just the vocals that are comparable to Bon Jovi, just check out this poppish ditty, which sounds like a track that didn't quite make it onto the New Jersey hero's two late 80s blockbusters. Its flavor is similiar to that of "Born to Be My Baby", in vocals, musical path, and chorus. Even the guitar seems to sing like Richie Sambora's.
8. "Young Wild and Free" - This sounds as if it should be straight off a Poison album, which serves as a driving anthem for those that are truly young, wild, and free with their head full of dreams. Again, you can't help wondering what this track would do on the charts if only the year was...
9. "Rose Tattoo" - "Wake up in the middle of the night, feel the presence of a stranger, I'm in no danger, she got no face no name, just a sign written on her thigh, she wears a rose tattoo, made love til we are black and blue..." That should say it all right there. It feels like a raunchy, bump and grind, Warrant-Motley Crue-Poison hybrid, including the tamed down parts where the vocalist gets to talk in a husky lowered voice.
10. "All Dressed Up" - The Motley Crue touches don't end with "Rose Tattoo", they spill out into this tightly delivered little track which would have felt at home on "Dr. Feelgood" or "Girls, Girls, Girls" both by the Crue.
11. "You Take My Breath Away" - No, this isn't yet another remake of that classic song, after Bette Midler did it, why should anyone else even attempt it? This song is a pretty classy ballad, much better than the cliched "My Days Are Counted" (which is still good in its own right). The contrasting vocals and twirling instrumental backdrop gives it a dizzying quality near its end.