The Night Flight Orchestra's 'Aeromantic II' - Album Review

I was going to open this review by talking about how the fact that I regularly referred to Tobias Sammet as metal's most consistent songwriter due to his excellent work with both Edguy and Avantasia became a bit of a running joke on this blog for a while. At one stage Sammet was releasing an album most years but, with Edguy's hiatus and Avantasia's most recent album being somewhat on the weaker side, he seems to have slowed down a bit of late. I was then going to say that this accolade should now probably belong to David Andersson, the guitarist of both Soilwork and The Night Flight Orchestra, who has written and released an unholy amount of music over the past few years. I then took a look at my review of The Night Flight Orchestra's 2020 release Aeromantic (which I reviewed here) and found out that I had essentially said the same thing last year! The fact that the thought entered my mind again over a year on however would suggest that it is true, and Andersson has released two strong releases since the release of Aeromantic that gives credence to the theory. Towards the end of last year he spearheaded Soilwork's sprawling concept EP A Whisp of the Atlantic, which funnelled the melodic death metal band down a more progressive path than usual, while earlier this month The Night Flight Orchestra's sixth studio album Aeromantic II was released. I was not expecting another album from The Night Flight Orchestra so soon after the release of Aeromantic, but the COVID-19 pandemic essentially kept bands off the road for the majority of 2020 and a large portion of 2021. Some musicians took the opportunity to be creative and write new music, but I had expected a to see a new Soilwork album before a new album from The Night Flight Orchestra. In fairness, A Whisp of the Atlantic was longer and more ambitious than most EPs, but its limited physical release made it slip under the radar somewhat. Strangely enough the EP has just been reissued in a much more widespread and traditional way, which is great, but it seems that Andersson's current focus is on The Night Flight Orchestra. Both bands of course feature the stellar vocal talents of Björn 'Speed' Strid, who also contributes to the songwriting, but Andersson has really taken the reins of late. Even in Soilwork, which is essentially Strid's band these days, sees Andersson dominate creatively - but the partnership between the two musicians seems to really work, both in a melodic death metal and an AOR context. With that said Aeromantic II is, as expected, very strong. When I first saw the album being announced and given its title I originally thought that Aeromantic II was an expanded edition of last year's release - but the album is the real deal and includes twelve original songs and a bonus cover. The band's core AOR sound sounds as good as ever, even if the synth-pop element of their sound has been pushed to the fore a little more than usual. The band's line-up is the same as on Aeromantic, although Aeromantic II sees the debut of keyboardist John Lönnmyr (Act of Denial) as a full-time member of the band - despite his session appearances on around half of last year's album.

The album kicks off with Violent Indigo, with its Oriental-tinged sparkly keyboard opening, which is a song that is very typical of what the band's fans have come to expect of them. A driving AOR keyboard riff soon takes over from the Eastern themes, which drives the song, while the pulsing bass of Sharlee D'Angelo and punchy drumming of Jonas Källsbäck adds some groove to the pompous melodies. The Night Flight Orchestra have always displayed influences from bands like Survivor, and Violent Indigo really showcases this - with the American band's mature 1988 release Too Hot to Sleep being a touchstone here. The song is packed full of melody, and Strid's voice carries the song perfectly, but there is also a sense of the band taking a less-is-more approach to the arrangement. The song sounds big, but it is perhaps not as bombastic as they can be - but this only allows the vocal hooks to shine brighter. This is a vibe that continues throughout much of the album, with a great mix of pomp and laid back songwriting being something of a theme. Midnight Marvelous is similar, although there is a bit more bombast present this time around. The grooves throughout from the rhythm section are hooky in their own right, while Lönnmyr's driving keyboard motif once again provides the song's main musical hook. The song sounds bigger however due to the greater emphasis placed on harmony vocals. The band's two resident backing singers, Anna-Mia Bonde and Anna Brygård, contribute a lot to the song as their voices mix well with Strid's - and this is particularly evident during the upbeat chorus. The highlight of the song for me however is the great instrumental section part way through - which starts with a strong synth solo before a shredded guitar solo takes over to add some additional bite. How Long ups the pace a little, and its opening gives the impression of it being a more guitar-heavy piece - before another big keyboard riff crashes in to change the mood. The synth-pop vibes mentioned previously are prevalent throughout the song, with the verses in particular being backed with those influences. The bass drives the verses, with electronic percussion and synths filling the void, while the chorus is more typical of the band's AOR sound with big vocal harmonies and a stronger guitar presence. What I have always liked about The Night Flight Orchestra's sound however is their ability to pull off a strong 1980s sound with a modern production. The band sound huge as a result, as the layers of synths throughout this song in particular showcase, with the members' metal backgrounds evident in the shredded solos. Burn For Me is one of the most old-school sounding AOR songs on the album. That accolade is unsurprisingly hard to give out, but the driving electric piano riff, the upbeat bounce, and the endless hooks that come from Strid's mouth certainly make the song a contender. There is a bit of a souped up yacht rock feel to the song, as it has all of the necessary laid back grooves and musical motifs - all it needs is some backing vocals from Michael McDonald! It is one of the album's catchiest songs as a result, and a great piano solo is the icing on the cake.

Chardonnay Nights shares a similar yacht rock vibe, but this time with disco influences thanks to some excellent bass playing from D'Angelo and plenty of jittery synths. At times the song reminds me a little of early Duran Duran, albeit with an American AOR sheen rather than a British new wave one. This is one of those songs that has grown on me a lot since first hearing it. It was one of the album's advance singles, and when I first heard the song it did not really grab me. Having heard the album a number of times now however, it has really sunk in. The chorus is very memorable, and the disco grooves help it to become very infectious after a few listens. There is some more great keyboard playing too, with a flashy solo that occurs just before the final chorus impressing. Change is the first of two customary contributions from guitarist Sebastian Forslund. His occasional songwriting contributions complement the efforts of Strid and Andersson nicely, and Change is a slab of in-your-face melodic rock with some great stomping drumming from Källsbäck and a chorus that is packed full of harmonies. The song is somewhat tougher-sounding than much of the album - although the word 'tougher' is used here in a relative sense. The song very much follows the band's core sound, but the guitars have a bit more weight to them - and the strong drumming helps the song to feel a bit punchier. There are still plenty of hooks and knotty keyboard lines however - and the song is another strong cut as a result. Amber Through a Window starts out a bit faster than many of the album's songs, but this pace is relatively short lived as the band soon drops away - giving the verses a lush, theatrical feel with Strid's voice backed by Lönnmyr's dense keyboards and the occasional Queen-esque guitar lead. I like the dynamic approach that the song takes, and it helps it to stand out somewhat from the pack. The band do not usually go for this extremely paired-back approach, but it works in the context of the song and it allows the choruses to hit harder as a result when the rest of the band kick back in to enhance to soaring vocal hooks. I Will Try get back to the band's core sound in a more traditional way, and the song has a strong Toto vibe throughout with a distinct groove throughout that reminds me of the late Jeff Porcaro. The Toto approach to production has also been taken here, with D'Angelo's bass high in the mix and Strid taking a more soulful route vocally. Strid's vocals throughout The Night Flight Orchestra's songs are usually in the booming, hooky AOR mould - but here he takes a somewhat smoother approach akin to Toto's Joseph Williams, with the ladies backing him up aptly during the fabulous chorus.

You Belong to the Night returns to the album's core sound in a big way. The disco-esque vibes of Chardonnay Nights returning. These are presented in a bit more of an organic way this time however, with some funky guitar riffing driving the song, while the pulsing bass and synths sits more in the background to add depth. This funky feeling is retained throughout the whole song, and as a result it is probably one of the album's most instantly-memorable cuts. The chorus is pure AOR goodness, and Strid's vocal hooks are some of the album's most soaring. It is a cliché to say this, but the song would have been a huge hit had been released in the mid-1980s - and I am sure that the song will become a live favourite when the band get back out on the road. Zodiac takes a bit more of an atmospheric approach, and I cannot help but think that there is some deliberate tribute-paying to Michael Jackson's Billie Jean here - at least during the verses. The song's chorus is more typical of the band's sound, albeit with a stronger bass presence and defining groove, but the verses are very Jackson-esque. The opening bassline and some of the guitar swells are similar to Billie Jean, while the funk vibes from the previous song have been retained - which helps to propel the song nicely with a strong groove. White Jeans in some ways feels like a companion piece to You Belong to the Night, as they have a similar overall structure. White Jeans is less funk-driven, but there is still more of a guitar presence and a big groove - while the chorus is an AOR-fest with soaring hooks that stick in the brain after only a couple of listens. As a result, the song was one that stood out for me on my first listen to the album. I think there are plenty of other songs here that I now prefer, but the hooks here still make me smile. The chorus lyrics feel like something of an afterthought, but the silliness helps to cement the authentic AOR vibe. The final original song here is Moonlit Skies; Forslund's second songwriting contribution to the album. Like Change there is more of a guitar presence, but this time in the form of intricate little riffs and leads - which sit nicely against a pulsing synth backdrop. The song is not as in-your-face, but its grandeur and soaring chorus make it an excellent closing number. The band do not always need to go all-out to hit home, and this song is a great example of their more laid back approach. The grooves do the talking, while the hooky chorus sticks in the brain with ease - with that aforementioned synth-pop vibe, particularly during a spacy keyboard solo, dominating. Most versions of the album, however, actually end with a bonus track - a cover of Cheap Trick's Reach Out from the Heavy Metal soundtrack. I am not familiar with the original, but The Night Flight Orchestra's version is strong. It is a bit less 'produced' than usual, thanks to Cheap Trick's more garage rock-esque sound, but the song still fits the album well - with a hooky chorus for Strid to bring the best out of with his trademark delivery. It is a fun end to an album that is packed full of highlights. There is a lot to enjoy here, and to deliver another winning album so quickly after Aeromantic is a big achievement. The Night Flight Orchestra really are becoming one of the 21st Century's premier melodic rock acts, and Aeromantic II is another stellar entry in the band's impressive canon.

The album was released on 3rd September 2021 via Nuclear Blast Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Chardonnay Nights.