Now Or Never
Now Or Never Mausoleum Records
Now or Never's debut is an album featuring the amazing talents and pedigree of the hugely talented Jo Amore on vocals, from French Metallers Nightmare, Pretty Maids guitarist Ricky Marx and Ex-Pretty Maids bassist Kenn Jackson, along with Swiss drummer Ranzo, who has played with Swiss rockers Sultan and featured on some of Nightmares previous work.
So you are faced with a beast of a line up and on this self-titled debut, the quartet pull out all of the stops.
Speeding down the metal highway, this is an infectious, modern Metal album to appeal everyone’s tastes. 'Reach Out' (for the sky) opens proceedings, it’s a heavy and a bruising opener, filled with electrifying riffs and fists punched to the skies. Title track and band moniker 'Now or Never' delivers on all fronts.
It’s a belting song of Metal intensity and heads will be banged to this song that’s for sure.
'Wind of Freedom' starts slowly and has a catchy chorus, it is one of the strongest tracks on the album. It has super guitar solos that will thrill and amaze. There’s a mechanized, industrial feel to the deep and thumping 'Brothers'. The next track 'Hardened Steel' will have your blood pumping even faster as will the excellent 'Princess of Undiscovered Land', then everything’s slowed down for the stirring and inspiring 'An Angel by My Side'. It’s a really nice song with classical tones.
'How Do You Feel' is a catchy, hard rocking song that batters at the doors of the thunder dome. 'Who’s in the Mirror' is a classical metal song. A song that could have come from the eighties I would say, with a modern twist to it. 'Something’s Missing' is a heart rendering ballad, so it’s time to get your lighters out and chill, it’s a stunning song, where Amore shows his amazing vocal abilities. Finally there is an instrumental 'Weirdo Lullaby', all forty seconds of it, that finishes off 'Now or Never'.
So to sum up, these Metal veterans have delivered a cracking album! And for those who aren’t totally sure who Jo Amore is? You are and have been, missing out on an accomplished former drummer who gave up the sticks for vocals with Nightmare, and having seen the enthusiasm and stage energy from his main band Nightmare in Belgium at the PPM Festival in April 2013, I can attest for his stage energy, presence and enthusiasm, and I really hope Now or Never get the chance to grace 2014's PPM Festival stage and do a European tour. This album is simply in a word “Impressive” .
Review by: Seb Di Gatto
Tracklisting:
1. Reach Out For The Sky
2. Now or Never
3. Wind Of Freedom
4. Brothers
5. Hardened Steel
6. Princess Of Undiscovered Land
7. An Angel By My Side
8. How Do You Feel?
9. Dying For You
10. Who's In The Mirror?
11. Something's Missing
12. Weirdo Lullaby
