CODE – The Enemy Within

Code has really succeeded in creating the absolute finest AOR record in a very long time. The Enemy Within sounds powerful and highly original. It’s not a typical Melodic Rock record and it has to be said that Code has taken this kind of music to another level because it’s totally non-traditional sometimes. You might actually call their style Progressive Melodic Rock.

This record features everything a Melodic Rock release should have and even more. It gives you the music born within the multi-talented musician, songwriter, and producer: Anders Rydholm (ex-Grand Illusion). The only thing that takes the record a little down just a little is the annoying voice of Sherwood Ball. He’s a very good singer, but doesn’t fit this music that well. Sometimes he actually sounds a little charming, but on an entire album you’ll get enough. A more aggressive vocalist wouldn’t be bad for this record; maybe even a little more high-pitched as well?

The production of this album is fantastic. The drums sound massive and grandiose, and so does the bass guitar. These two elements make a great foundation for this record, along with the pompous keyboards, which gives this record a mysterious and very melodic personality. What makes this record so special is actually a little difficult to describe with words, but you definitely should check it out and see for yourself.

The opening track, “The Enemy Within,” is maybe the most outstanding song on the album. The terrific guitar/keyboard riff is so good that it will fill your eyes with tears while listening, and you’ll get totally blown away by the great production. There’s a good float in this music; the rhythm section is steady and the guitar work is just chimerical. A great piano/orchestral bridge creates a little slowdown before the intense and fantastic guitar solo. This is a song that must be heard!

The follow-up track, “Sign Up For Love,” is a faster song, featuring a lot of cool guitar riffs. There’s also a very interesting keyboard lick before the refrain. The guitar solo is just awesome and is definitely the show-off moment for the ex-Grand Illusion member Ola Af Trampe on this record. The amazingly good and steady drumming by the legendary drummer Gregg Bissonette (Steve Vai, David Lee Roth, Steve Lukather, Joe Satriani, Toto) takes this record a step further.

The more native inspired song “Alive” sounds mysterious and mystical during the intro, with native drums and keyboards. Eventually, it kicks in with bass, guitars, and drums. The song has a nice riff. One big agent that Code uses a lot is to combine the guitars/keyboards. This makes the songs so much stronger and powerful. This one features some nice vocal arrangements on the refrain as well.

This is an album with just a lot of great things going on. The riffs are awesome, and the chord progressions sound so fresh and interesting when used in this kind of music. This is a record that should be recommended to fans of music in general, not just melodic rock fans. It’s done with the great passion and sounds really outstanding compared to many other AOR records. Code managed to create the definitive Melodic Rock masterpiece! Check it out!

Lineup

Anders Rydholm – Bass, guitars, and keyboards
Ola Af Trampe – Lead guitars
Sherwood Ball – Vocals
Gregg Bissonette – Drums