MARC VANDERBERG – Highway Demon

Germany’s Marc Vanderberg has released his second album of Melodic Metal.  Stylistically, Vanderberg’s guitar sound and noodling style is reminiscent of Yngwie Malmsteen.  Remove the guitar solos out of the songs and there’s little else to get excited about.  Song structures are basic; there’s not a whole lot of complexity happening in the ten songs offered up here.  Lyrical content is formulaic featuring songs about cars, relationships and relationships with cars.  With rare exception, most songs are either mid-tempo or plodding.  The mix favors the vocals and guitar at the expense of the bass guitar and drums.  Fortunately, the vocals provide a respectable Melodic Metal crooning that is up to the challenge of battling it out with the capable guitar work.  The keyboard work is largely atmospheric and does a good job of filling out the songs.

Unlike most albums that start with their best material up front, this album starts weak but ends strong.  The second song, “Blue Eyes”, is the highlight of the first half of the album.  It has a catchy riff that is just good enough to overcome the weak lyrical content.  By the sixth track, “Indispensable”, the lyrical vapidity may overcome your patience.  Saccharine sweet lyrics like “…you are the one who makes me smile…” are tough to take.  While the lyrics of the next two songs “You’re Like Poison” and “When I Turn The Key” are cliché, the guitar riffs and hooks make them enjoyable.  The next to last and best song on the album is “The Final Chapter”.  A song where Vanderberg combines tempo changes, hook-laden riffing, and a catchy chorus.  The album ends with a spirited instrumental romp “Total Eclipse”.

Highway Demon is not a strong enough album to recommend to casual Melodic Metal fans.  Vanderberg has obvious guitar skills that will interest fans of guitar virtuosity, but the rest of us will have to wait for his songwriting prowess to catch up.

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