AGE STEN NILSEN's AMMUNITION - Shanghaied [Japanese Edition] (2014)

Genre -Hard Rock / Melodic Rock

 

Track listing:

01 - Silverback
02 - Give Me A Sign
03 - Shanghaied
04 - Tie Me Down (Outro Version)
05 - Road To Babylon
06 - Take Out The Enemy (Hallelujah)
07 - Hit Me With Your Bombs
08 - Do You Like It
09 - Wild Card
10 - Another Piece Of Me
11 - Heart's Not In It
12 - Strung Out
13 - Access Denied (Japan Bonus Track)

Norway rockers Wig Wam disbanded some time ago and their lead singer Åge Stein Nilsen decides to start his own band, AMMUNITION. Things started to turn really interesting when Åge teamed up with Swedish wonder Erik Martensson (WET, Eclipse) to write the songs, and soon he agreed to join the group.
Add to this Robert Brooks (Eclipse) on drums, Hal Patino (King Diamond, Pretty Maids, Maryanne Cotton) on bass, Lasse Finbråthen (Circus Maximus) on keyboards and Jon Pettersen (Bad Habits) on guitar and we have some kind of Melodic Hard Rock super group.
And it is; AGE STEN NILSEN's AMMUNITION "Shanghaied", the CD debut from the combo just appeared in Japan (worldwide soon) is a terrific, fantastic Melodic Hard Rock record in best Scandinavian vein of the genre.
Let's start backwards: the production on "Shanghaied" is superb. The crisp, bright sound is courtesy of magician Erik Martensson of course. All is big, clear and polished, and I have to mention the high definition of a large and majestic drum sounds, the best I've heard in a long time.
Musically, we have a cavalcade of squeaky songs that will slam your ears with no mercy.
It's all extremely melodic and polished, yes, but with a punch and energy that leaves you breathless.
Thirteen songs in 48 minutes, so you have short tracks, instant, ridiculously catchy and all with a hit potential.
There is also a great variation between the songs, and all are good, believe me. Perhaps my favourite is "Sucker For Anything", but I have to say that "Take Out The Enemies" is a very original mix of hard rock and heavenly harmonies, or the chorus "Silverback" will raise your fist in a second.
"Give Me A Sign" has a very sing-along, radio-friendly main melody and another strong chorus. The title track has an outrageously killer verse and "Tie Me Down" is a monster heavy rocker with a riff to die for.
Japanese bonus track "Access Denied" worth the purchase, an infectious melodic hard rocker akin Brother Firetribe, pretty anthemic and ready for the arenas.
"Shanghaied", simply put, is one of the strongest Melodic Hard Rock albums appeared recently, and without a doubt, the best coming from Norway in a long time.
In fact, this comes from Scandinavia in general, with Swede Erik Martensson virtually turning into gold everything he touches.
A must for fans of the genre.
Absolutely cracking album!

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
Rating - 10/10