Aeromantic

Imagine if ABBA played hard rock with great synth work and solid vocals that actually made them a good band. That is the basis for The Night Flight Orchestra, who are an incredibly fun side project of longtime Soilwork front-man Bjorn Strid. There is more to it than that of course but that is the best description for those unfamiliar with these cats. If you like high quality 70s/80s rock/pop, this band will delight you in all the best ways. Their third album, Amber Galactic, made significant waves in the metal community and their last one, Sometimes the World Aint Enough, was absolutely glorious. Needless to say, fans should be hyped for their latest album, Aeromantic, as it is sure to provide more killer hooks, catchy tunes and drum patterns that are totally groovy.

Normally, this is the space where the virtues of the riffs and overall guitar work are extolled but Aeromantic is not really a riff-driven album per se. That being said, the riffs on here are pretty sweet and definitely contribute to the overall enjoyment of the album. In particular, the title track has a couple really groovy riffs and a righteous guitar solo toward the end. “Carmencita Seven” also has a killer main riff that really drives the tempo of the song. Even though the percussion is the primary driving force behind these songs, you can expect high-quality riffs and some great solos throughout the album. This creates a fantastic dynamic between the guitars and the drums and leads to a very powerful sound that simply rocks hard without the need for a bunch of sonic layers or anything else super fancy.

The primary forces driving Aeromantic are the soaring vocals and the phenomenal drumming that permeate every song, bringing catchy hooks, groovy patterns and fantastic lyrics together for a wonderfully full sound. Are the drums super poppy? You bet. In most cases, that would be a bad thing but The Night Flight Orchestra have a sound that relies heavily on catchy hooks and killer grooves so the poppy drums actually enhance the sound. There is plenty of variety in the drum patterns but they are strongest when it they are non-stop booming beats that just ooze fun. Seriously, if the drumming in “Divinyls” does not get your blood flowing, you should probably see a doctor. Plus, the drum tone is really old-school pop where everything sounds natural and awesome. Think 80s pop with modern production values, riffs, and keyboards that actually contribute to the overall sound instead of making it extra cheesy. Hell, the opening of “Golden Swansdown” sounds like it came out of a Marvin Gaye song and it is awesome. Then you have tunes like “Carmencita Seven,” that knock it out of the park with tons of head-bobbing drum patterns, showcasing the band’s willingness to change it up. All in all, Jonas turns in a stellar performance that really elevates Aeromantic to the next level.

Bjorn’s vocals in The Night Flight Orchestra have always been top-notch and Aeromantic is no exception. His vocals tend to sit comfortably in the mid-range but he goes higher quite often and it still sounds really smooth. As far as the aesthetic, it is pretty much the kind of smooth/rough combo you would expect to hear in this style. The thing that really stands out is the way he can sync his vocals perfectly with a marching drum beat like in the killer opening track “Servants of the Air.” He always sounds smooth and natural and more importantly, his pop/AOR style hooks the listener with plenty of catchy hooks, soaring choruses and tons of catchy vocal lines. Just listen to all the different aesthetics on the title track. He starts low and then goes high and switches between them throughout the song, making for an incredibly dynamic performance.

We would be remiss not to mention the absolutely phenomenal performance by Richard Larsson on the keyboards. This guy writes so many catchy keyboard lines that you could get an STD just from hearing them. You will every minute of it because not only are they cheesy, they are glorious and that is the best possible combination for keyboards. Quite often, he drops this keyboard line that sounds like something out of an 80s music video and then he will go full symphonic with it just to keep you guessing. As great as this album is, it would not be nearly as strong without the incredible keyboard rhythms adding extra cheese and glory to the grandeur of Aeromantic.

You are still not convinced or super hyped about The Night Flight Orchestra after reading this review? Well then maybe they are not for you. Maybe AOR is just not your thing. If so, the rest of us will continue to enjoy the glory but give them a shot. Maybe their awesome and hilarious music videos will convince you that you are missing out on something epic.

- originally written for The Metal Observer