Journey - Eclipse

After almost 3 years from “Revelation” that introduced us the new vocalist of the band, Arnel Pineda, the Kings of melodic rock/AOR music are back with a brand new album. To be honest the previous album, although it has some good songs, didn’t satisfy me that much. Maybe it was due to the reason that the band was trying so much to sound like Journey (the golden era) or it was so obvious that this was a Journey wannabe band and not the original one… whatever. The band after “Trial By Fire” is trying really hard to find its way, it has changed 3 singers all these years (thankfully JSS didn’t sing in a studio album-but in an unofficial bootleg) and most of the songs was a bad attempt to “steal/copy” themselves… that was so obvious and although some songs were really good, in the end the whole, not so good, result was very frustrating for the fans. The truth is that none of these albums is considered as “a classic” and will never be. Steve Perry is a great miss for the band (even today)! How couldn’t he be… he is after all, one of the top 3 voices of melodic rock/AOR music of all time…

 

The guys have been on the road for a long time and that reflects on the way they perform and compose… it is pretty obvious when you listen to “Eclipse”. Neal along with Jonathan (and with some help from Arnel in a few songs) have given the best of themselves in order to write down some good melodic rock songs and they have succeeded. Maybe this is the best Journey album without Perry, but I’m sure that since the band has found a steady line up in order to tour and work with… the next albums would be even better! They have the talent and they know how to deliver excellent rockin’ songs and touching ballads… they still lead the way back from the late 70s/early 80s…

 

This album is, also, the most rockin’ album of the band in years and that’s something that makes it so good. Even though, I love the band’s ballads… I think they were too many in the last albums. Luckily, they corrected that disadvantage and this album rocks like hell! Neal is in great shape… excellent rockin’ riffs and great solos almost everywhere, Dean is simply fantastic (it’s amazing how this guy has teamed up so good with the guys) and along with Ross, they are the best rhythm section of Journey ever! Jonathan is the good old Jonathan… amazing keys, smart lyrics and great songwriting along with Neal they are the band in every aspect! As for Arnel, he, now, seems like a part of the band… this guy has a wonderful voice and he can sing really well… the Perry comparison is something that will always haunt him but if you can replace the best out there, then you must learn to live in his shadow as well… till you break the curse…

 

I like this album… I have listened to it far too many times and it’s been a long time since I enjoyed a Journey album that much. My beloved songs are: “City of Hope”, “Edge of the Moment”, “Chain of Love” (dark & heavy tune), “Tantra”, “Anything is Possible”, “Resonate” (superb gloomy rocker), “Human Feel”, “To Whom It May Concern” (pure AOR anthem) and the instrumental “Venus” (I’m a big fan of Neal’s solo albums).

 

If you consider yourself as a Journey fan then you cannot go wrong with this album… especially if you like the previous ones. This album will totally satisfy you. Without any doubts, this release will please every AOR/melodic rock fan out there easily… a superb album by the masters of the genre…