Oslo’s Flight, now with a new label, continues with their interpretation of classic 70’s heavy rock. For me there’s a splash of Winterhawk, Ashbury with some progressive elements that figured predominantly in the mid-70’s UK scene. The band has spent a bit more time writing this record and the results are slick and they sound a lot more confident whilst cutting the noose on some of their metal roots displayed on their debut album.
Heading straight into the opening instrumental ‘Arrival’, it’s very smooth sounding. Often I have found this new material quite restrained, I think this is more based on the production rather than the tracks alone. It’s a touch quiet in the mix. However, that’s not necessarily a bad thing as the “feel” still remains positive underneath the many layers of each track.
Highlights for me include the rockier, more momentous ‘Ride On’. Then if you cast yourself to the title track and then ‘Traveller’, there’s a genuine display of class, almost mystically entrapping you in their web. Of course with the imagery and theme of the lyrics, there’s an outer space element to this release. The band has captured this, although all I would say is that it sounds too comfortable often dependant on your frame of mind from day to day. Maybe that’s the point, it’s much more subtle, a touch of class indeed. Sometimes I want this, sometimes I don’t and that’s essentially what I am rambling on about. One day I find a particular feeling from this album, the next I mind something else to scatter through my brain. Genius or madness, that’s for others to decide.
Overall, Flight have grown up in terms of song writing, some may argue they’ve done it too quickly, but then I would suggest that feat and this release is a great tonic showing what talent these guys have. Their debut may have been a quick recording affair, but this follow up has had time spent on it, and you can hear that though the songs.
(7/10 Paul Maddison)
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