Vega's 'Only Human' - Album Review

The UK has never really been seen a hotbed for AOR and melodic rock, Vega have been flying the Union Jack for the genres since forming back in 2009. While the band are still very much an underground entity, tours with bigger bands like Magnum have brought their music to a wider audience and Vega are well-liked on the British rock scene. Since being formed in 2009 by twins and songwriting duo Tom and James Martin, as well as frontman Nick Workman, Vega have released four well-received albums through the Italian label Frontiers Records, and added to their growing discography by releasing their fifth album Only Human last month. This follows hot on the heels of the well-received Who We Are (which I reviewed here) which was released almost-exactly two years to the day of Only Human's release date. Although I had been aware of Vega for sometime prior to Who We Are's release, that album was my real entry-point into the Vega catalogue. I knew that the band would be supporting Magnum on their 2016 tour, so made the effort to check out Vega's music in preparation for their support slot. I was glad that I did, as Vega put on a good show that night and since then I have become a bigger fan of the band and acquired the rest of their catalogue. Soundwise, Vega are a fairly typical melodic rock/AOR band so most of what can be heard on their albums will be familiar to fans of the genre. Those wanting something revolutionary should look elsewhere, but those who enjoy feel-good summery AOR will find plenty to enjoy here. The band's core songwriting team of the Martin brothers and Workman have established a particular brand of polished melodic rock during their years with Vega which has come to define the band's sound. The band are not one to write keyboard-driven anthems, akin to American greats like Survivor, but instead focus on a more polished, cinematic sound. James Martin's keyboards are more atmospheric than is found in many AOR bands, but this helps Vega to create a big sound that rarely falls into the trap of using tacky synth sounds. This leads the band's guitarsists, Marcus Thurston and new boy Mikey Kew, often to drive the songs - which helps the band to place more emphasis on the 'rock' element of their sound than many other AOR acts, despite a few nattier pieces that rely more on poppy walls-of-sound than true rock grit. This has not changed on Only Human, and the new album sees the band playing to their strengths. Kew's addition sees Tom Martin now focusing solely on the bass guitar, and new drummer Martin Hutchison helps to drive the album with a solid performance. The line-up changes and expansion has not altered the band's sound at all, and in fact Kew has been a long-time live member of the band so his inclusion into Vega as a permanent member is long overdue!

Let's Have Fun Tonight opens the album in style with a driving hard rock riff, backed up by some great 1970s-esque organ, that gives the song a slightly sleazy feel. The verses are fairly bluesy, with the band's two guitarists locked into a groove-based pattern, but the chorus opens up with Workman's powerful delivery. Wordless backing vocals and tight harmonies give the chorus some bite, and when Thurston launches into his dirty, shredded guitar solo the pieces seem to all fall into place. Vega are rarely his weighty, and the hard rock stomp of the piece allows the album to make an instant impact, without straying too far from the band's core sound. Worth Dying For is the band's more typical fare, with an ascending guitar riff and a dense synth backing recalling the AOR bands of the 1980s while Workman croons his way through the verses. Many of the songs found throughout Only Human are not as instantly memorable as those on the band's earlier albums, but this one boasts a powerful chorus that is filled with Vega's trademark melodies. Workman does not have the most distinctive of voices, but he is a powerful singer and shows off his impressive pipes during the chorus here - which features playful vocal melodies and the cinematic ascending guitar riff from the intro. This vibe is continued throughout lead single Last Man Standing, although the faux radio DJ voice over section does feel a little out of place! Songs like this showcase the band's love of Def Leppard, with chiming clean guitar melodies making up the verses, while stabs of retro synths add the American AOR influence. This is easily my favourite song on the album, as it is packed with fantastic melodies that just jump out at you instantly and stick with you from the off. The chorus is one of the band's best yet, with James Martin adding a tasty synth melody atop Thurston and Kew's tough, anthemic riffing. Workman does the heavy lifting however, and delivers some of the album's best melodies as he belts out the chorus lyrics. It is a real stadium-filling moment, and the song is sure to become a highlight of the band's live shows. After three rockers, Come Back Again strips things back a little with a somewhat more atmospheric sound and a verse section that could be described as having a country influence. The guitars mostly provide atmospheric sound here, using big chords rather than traditional riffs, while Hutchison's drumming provides more of a percussive backing than a tight beat. As a result, the song feels a little strange and never truly seems to get going. That being said, it is far from horrid and does provide a nice change of pace after the more upbeat opening trio of songs.

All Over Now returns more to the vibe established during the album's opening moments with James Martin's keyboards dominating with a chiming melody during the song's intro, and the two guitarists providing a suitable chug during the verses. Another excellent chorus is housed within the song, and it features some of the most Survivor-esque keyboards the band have ever used. The sound is quite dated, but it works well within the context of the song and allows Workman to deliver the chorus in an anthemic way. This is my second favourite song on the album, and it is telling that my two favourite pieces here have excellent choruses. Vega really know how to write a good chorus - but they seem to have less of them in their arsenal than some of their peers. Mess You Made opens well, with a snaking guitar lead, and continues positively throughout. Tom Martin's bass dominates the verse, which helps to create a low pulsing sound, with his brother's keyboards adding atmosphere. Despite this the song actually feels a little heavier overall than much of the material found on this album, which is probably down to Hutchison's drumming. His drums are particularly punchy throughout this song, and they really help to drive the song with a tight rhythm that makes occasional use of double bass drumming for effect. The album's title track follows, and immediately takes on more of  a poppy vibe with a bouncy guitar lead and a big wall of keyboards. There is a little of the sounds of bands like U2 here, with the keyboards creating a big wall of sound for Workman to earnestly sing against with the rest of the band largely providing a rhythm. The chorus in particular sounds like something U2, or modern day Bon Jovi, might have come up with. It sounds somewhat pedestrian, but still manages to catch the attention with some decent melodies. AOR is a poppy genre by default, but this song feels more like a pure piece of pop rock than anything else. I would have liked to see a bit more grit here, as at times it feels like the guitarists are a bit surplus to requirements! Standing Still is the album's first real ballad, with James Martin laying down a sombre piano melody throughout the piece and slow guitar leads from Thurston cutting throughout occasionally for an emotional punch. The choruses pick up the pace a little however, moving away from true ballad territory and into something more alike the pop rock of the previous song. The U2 wall-of-sound production is back, and in fact the two choruses sound remarkably similar. I feel that vibe works better for this song however, as the slower nature of the verses makes the lack of obvious guitar riffs more appropriate. On the whole however this sort of sound does not do a whole lot for me, with the anthemic Last Man Standing acting as a blueprint for a great Vega chorus.

Gravity is more upbeat, with some machine drumming to get the song going before a keyboard-heavy riff takes the band back to their 1980s-esque sound. The guitarists lay down a snaking riff during the verses while Tom Martin's bass rumbles away, giving the song much more grit than either of the previous two efforts. The chorus is somewhat of a let down given the excellent build up, but at least it feels like more of a rock moment! For whatever reason the vocals here just sound a little weak and lack the power that Workman is known for. It seems like the band have tried to experiment with some layering techniques, mixing high-pitched harmonies in for effect, but accidentally put the higher vocals too high in the mix. It just comes off sounding a little strange, but overall the song still impresses with plenty of subtle melodies that reveal themselves more and more with each listen. Turning Pages is another slower one, with chiming guitar melodies making up the verses and a summery keyboard backing creating a good atmosphere. Hutchison's drumming takes on that percussive feel that he used elsewhere to good effect, and he only really breaks into a true beat during the choruses. The choruses here feel like slightly bigger versions of the verses, with similar guitar melodies chiming through while Workman sounds more like his usual self with a strong vocal performance. Fade Away is the first anthemic rocker since the early portion of the album, and the strident guitar riff is a welcome sound. The muscular power chords pile out of the speakers, and they are soon accompanied by Workman who dominates the verses with his excellent vocals. After a plethora of poppy, wall-of-sound choruses during the album's second half, the effort here is much more AOR-centric with a twinkling keyboard melody and plenty of harmony vocals to make everything sound just that bit bigger. Go to War is the album's closing number, and it sees the band attempting something slightly ballsier with wah-drenched guitar leads and a somewhat more aggressive drum showing. Of course 'heavier' is a relative term, but there is some bite here and it sounds a little like something Bon Jovi might have written for their first couple of albums. The only criticism I have of the song is that it does not really feel like a closing piece. Album closers should be statement pieces, and this one does not have that spark to close out the album in a truly memorable fashion. It might have been better to swap this track and Fade Away around, as the album would then close with the latter's chorus spinning around your head! Overall, Only Human is an enjoyable album from Vega but one that is not without its faults. I personally prefer the band's more overtly-rock efforts, with some of the poppier songs passing me by somewhat. Melodic rock fans in general ought to find plenty to enjoy here however, and Vega are worth checking out for those who want a bit of a modern AOR fix.

The album was released on 11th May 2018 via Frontiers Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Worth Dying For.