  Escape/Sound Pollution
Norwegian band SNOWFALL…baptized after looking out the window apparently, have a British augmentation. Band leader “PB” Riise was formerly in WINTER PARADE (this is not farfetched) before forming SNOWFALL with guitarist Tore Meli (also fd. WINTER PARADE) and they somehow hooked up with the excellent Lee Small (PHENOMENA, SHY). They go for the sound of the eighties citing bands such as FIREHOUSE, GIANT and WHITESNAKE, but without losing touch with Scandinavian sounds of that era. I guess all is set for greatness…or?
The stage is at least set for a slightly heavier take on the European Song Contest as “Don´t Drive Me Home Tonight” opens. The refrain is in focus and I think they have found the right addition of keyboards. “Citadel of Hope” follows suite and all is well. Their penchant for British blues rock is not quite mentioned in the info but there is a major feature of bluesy 70´s/80´s trademarks which is very augmented by the natural blues of Lee. They should have emphasized the decade of WHITESNAKE and THUNDER should also be cited. The downside of that interest is obvious in the tame “Heaven´s Not up There”. It is a shadow of a song with almost no core, as THUNDER sometimes came across in their aftermath of the heyday. The very best of SNOWFALL is surely saved for last, as the most outstanding songs are indeed the very last ones. Both “the simplistically great “Alexandra” and the truly emotional mix of WHITESNAKE and QUEEN in “The Vesper Bell” are easily two cuts above the rest. Thus said the others are not bad (e.g. the first mentioned tracks and the WHITESNAKE 90´s inspired “Wolfs Lair” and the emotional blues rock of “I Won´t Be Lonely Anymore”). Nuff said, fact remains that this is a good enough album, but with a potential for more.
Track List
Don´t Drive Me Home Tonight
Citadel of Hope
House of Prayer
Heaven´s Not Up There
Jack of Diamonds
Wolf´s Lair
I Won´t Be Lonely Anymore
Stampede
Oscillate
Alexandria
The Vesper Bell
www.escape-music.com www.snowfallcoldsilence.com
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