LANDFALL – The Turning Point

LANDFALL – Hard Rocking AOR

Hailing from Curitiba, Brazil, Landfall is a new Melodic Rock band featuring ex-members of local bands Wild Child and Auras. Their debut album The Turning Point, conceptualized to be a ride through the city, is a solid entry to the genre, offering plenty of variety for both the softer AOR fan to the Hard Rock metalhead.

A departure from Wild Child’s progressive DNA and a better version of Auras’ radio-ready AOR Hard Rock, this nighttime driveby through a crowded city will take you through a varied soundscape, from extremely melodic, catchy choruses and vocal lines to hard-rocking power riffs and covering a lot of ground in between.

The Turning Point – Album Breakdown

The production is competent and in line with other recent releases of the Frontiers catalog. The band has self-produced the album, but co-producers Marcelo Gelbcke and Felipe Souzza are no strangers to the recording process. Having also co-produced some of the Semblant albums and recording other bands daily at Marcelo’s MGC Studios in Curitiba, they have put all their lessons learned into The Turning Point.

Our driveby starts with the hard-rocking track “Rush Hour,” which makes a nod to Mr. Big’s “Addicted to That Rush,” instrumental prowess included; courtesy of guitarist Marcelo Gelbcke and bassist Thiago Forbeci. The track has one of the best riffs out of the Frontiers Melodic Rock catalog, genuinely worthy of a place next to Hair Metal greats like the intro riff to Motley Crüe’s “Kickstart My Heart” or Poison’s “Fallen Angel.” This song will stick to your head, you have been warned.

“Jane’s Carousel,” probably the album highlight and touted as a favorite by vocalist Gui Oliver, is the perfect marriage between Landfall’s most potent sides: melodic to the max, with the widest harmony in the album during the chorus, but hard-rocking and heavy in its own right, featuring Marcelo’s best solo in the record. Gui conveys emotion effectively throughout the album, but in this song especially, his vocals and delivery are on point. While his tone may at times invoke Journey’s Steve Perry, he has a style of his own.

Released as a single preceding the release of The Turning Point, the AOR, Journey-inspired rocking track, “Road of Dreams” offers a generous sample of Oliver’s melodic prowess and powerful singing, as well as the band’s powerful grooves and riffs. Drummer Felipe Souzza holds a steady pulse while guitar and bass fill the gaps in creative but very musical ways.

Tracks like  “Taxi Driver” and “Roundabout” reference even stronger the Hard Rock greats like Extreme, Mr. Big and Foreigner. There is plenty to love throughout the album, with Thiago’s bass solo during “Taxi Driver” being one of the instrumental highlights.

The closing track, “Sound of The City,” is the perfect ending to our journey, again featuring many of the elements that make Landfall stand out as a band. Featuring some of Felipe’s most adventurous drumming in the record, this song leaves the listener wishing for more, while offering a satisfying closure to the picture painted by the album throughout the ride.

Verdict

All in all, The Turning Point hits all the marks for a debut album. Not all the songs in the record are equally remarkable, with some of it feeling like it is a reinterpretation of material that was meant for the softer style of Auras. That said, when the chemistry of the band works, it really hits the spot. Drummer Felipe Souzza could do with a little less technical display at times, probably something that gets subconsciously injected due to his roots in progressive music. It would also be interesting to see vocalist Gui Oliver be a little bit more daring and aggressive in the vocals to match the heat when the band kicks it up a notch. The Turning Point is a solid first effort, and we can’t wait to see what the band has in store for their next release.

Metal Express Radio has interviewed the band about this release. Click here to watch it or read it

TUNE INTO METALEXPRESSRADIO.COM at NOON & MIDNIGHT (EST) / 6:00 & 18:00 (CET) TO HEAR THE BEST TRACKS FROM THIS UPCOMING RELEASE!!!

Tracklist

1.    Rush Hour
2.    No Way Out
3.    Jane’s Carousel
4.    Across The Street
5.    Don’t Come Easy
6.    Taxi Driver
7.    Distant Love
8.    Roundabout
9.    Road Of Dreams
10.    Hope Hill
11.    Sound Of The City

Lineup

Gui Oliver – Vocals
Felipe Souzza – Drums
Marcelo Gelbcke – Guitars
Thiago Forbeci – Bass