VAGH – Sands Of Time

Robin Vagh is the man behind this Swedish band, and I am surprised this is a self made product (meaning I am surprised no-one else pulled out the cash for him). Vagh delivers AOR with much more conviction than lots of the old horses out there who just make records to kill time. No, I like the genre, but I think its quality has been absent for the last decade and more. Every now and then I hear a good AOR record, and Vagh is one of them. Nothing new, mind you, you’ve heard it all before. Whatever… Catchy melodies even your significant other, who hates your CD collection, can hum along to, crunchy guitars up front in the mix, the tongue in cheek vocal attitude, melodic keyboards in the background, it’s all here. Although there’s nothing new on this CD, all melodies stand on their own, and Robin Vagh has not tried to copy his idols. I hear a little “Heaven And Hell” in “Book Of Shadows”, the title track “Sands Of Time” could have been a smash hit when Treat toured the Swedish parks in the mid-eighties, but I wouldn’t go as far as saying this is not honest. It sure is honest.

It’s quite hard to pick favourite tracks off this CD, either none or all tracks stand out. “Hypnotized” is a good one though, the title track and “In The Heat Of The Night” others, while “Alison”, sung by Noomi Stragefors and doesn’t quite fit in. Yes, that’s a girl singing, and nothing wrong with that, she just doesn’t keep up with the best out there, where-ever they took off to. (Come back, Sandi Saraya!!!) The song is perhaps the weakest on the disc as well, or the one least impressive.

Production-wise, we still write 1985 while this is a recent recording. I enjoyed 1985, still do, so it’s fine by me. The guitars are not overplayed, but fit neatly with the Vagh’s musical direction. Don’t be surprised if a label invests in this band. If you like AOR and if it bothers you that you have no hair left for your spray, you really should pick up a copy of this CD.