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New Music Reviews, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, Progressive Rock, Progressive Metal, AOR, Alternative Rock, Alternative Metal
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Maverick: Cold Star Dancer
Maverick: Cold Star Dancer
Melodic Heavy Metal
4.0/5.0
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Metalapolis Records
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 21.03.2018
Formed some six years ago in Belfast by brothers Ryan (g) and David (v) Balfour, Maverick have already dropped two albums, 2014's Quid Pro Quo and 2016's Big Red. On the strength of the latter album, the band would tour with Swedish hard rock legends Treat in 2017. Now Maverick returns with their third long player Cold Star Dancer for Metalapolis Records.
Maverick
Once more we find Maverick developing their hybrid mixture of heavy metal and melodic hard rock, though I think this time around it leans more to the former. Most every song is built around sharp riffage, blistering solos, and a thick and thundering rhythm section. Yet these are tempered with Maverick's keen ability to inject melody, harmony, and groove into every arrangement, which gives their melodic heavy metal some sense of AOR accessibility.
You'll hear that latter quality clearly within Goodbye and Seize The Day, two of the best songs on the album. Heavy and faster songs come with Viper and Myrmidon; more heavy and steady songs with Ex Machina and Magellan Rise, both of which display that thick bottom end. For a bonus track, Maverick covers the Rick Springfield hit, Jessie's Girl. As you would expect from the rest of the album, it's turned into riff rousing heavy metal, yet without losing the song's catchy groove. All in all, with Cold Star Dancer Maverick delivers another roaring album heavy metal tempered by melodic hard rock accessibility and groove. Recommended.
The Bottom Line
With Cold Star Dancer, Maverick delivers another roaring album of heavy metal tempered by melodic hard rock accessibility and groove. Recommended.
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This experience deserves mention for one very good reason: Finland's One Desire is one of the best classic AOR melodic hard rock bands in the genre and, perhaps, the world, right now So, I also apologize, in ... [ Read More ]