I think it is fair to say that the release of Angel's seventh studio album Risen (which I reviewed here) in 2019 was one of the surprises of the year. Whilst the band's original frontman Frank DiMino and original guitarist Punky Meadows started touring together again in 2018, backed by a new line-up of musicians - I think few expected that this reunion would lead to new music. After all, many veteran bands, particularly those without a history of regularly releasing new music past their heyday, have generally given up on creating new albums - so I think that it was fair to assume that Angel's reunion was going to be fun nostalgia trip for DiMino, Meadows, and the band's fanbase, so the release of Risen was very much a pleasant surprise. In fact, DiMino and Meadows' early shows were conducted under the name 'Punky Meadows and Frank DiMino of Angel' - with the current line-up only officially becoming the latest incarnation of the Washington, D.C.-based band in 2019. Risen was the band's seventh album and, with the exception of 1999's extremely rare and seemingly forgotten In the Beginning (which was put together by DiMino and original drummer Barry Brandt with an array of session players), it was the first release from the band since 1980's double live release Live Without a Net - the album which Casablanca hoped would break Angel as Kiss' Alive! had done for them five years earlier. Sadly, Angel never really broke through in a big way. The band had their fans, and released five strong studio albums throughout the 1970s - but Casablanca never seemed to know what to do with them, and their sound was possibly too varied and over-the-top for audiences at the time. Mixing the flamboyance of Queen with the harder rock grit of Deep Purple and the progressive leanings of Styx (at least early on), Angel's brand of pomp rock was somewhat ahead of its time. A decade or so later they may have had some hits, but the band failed to find their niche. That being said, though, many rock fans look back on the band's work with real fondness. They influenced many 1980s rockers who went onto bigger and better things, and there are likely lots of rock fans out there who would love Angel's work if they heard it. That is why this new era of the band is welcome - and Risen, despite being too long, felt like a great comeback. With DiMino and Meadows, who made up two-thirds of the band's original main songwriting trio, working together again, the modern Angel truly feels like Angel - and the four other musicians on board clearly have a love for the band's classic sound. I had hoped that Risen would not be a one-off - so I was pleased last month when the band's eighth album Once Upon a Time dropped. Recorded by the same line-up as Risen, Once Upon a Time builds on what Risen started and arguably delivers the classic Angel sound even more authentically. Risen was more of a guitar-heavy album, but Once Upon a Time sees the keyboards of Charlie Calv pushed to the fore - with the balance between the guitars and the keyboards being more finely-balanced. This allows for a more pomp-based and somewhat more progressive sound at times. The keyboards generally played a supporting role on Risen, but Angel's best work featured huge keyboards - so it is great to see Once Upon a Time embracing this once again.
There are lots of strong songs here, but Once Upon a Time opens with one of its best and more hard-hitting cuts The Torch. The band have definitely channelled the overall feel of the classic Tower here - and Calv's keyboards are bright from the off, with his synths opening the song before the rest of the band crash in. The powerful guitar riffs of Meadows and Danny Farrow (who has replaced former keyboard player Gregg Giuffria in the band's songwriting trio) whip up plenty of excitement early on, laying down a tough bed for Calv's rumbling synths and organ, before the band draw back again - leaving DiMino singing against a background of gentle keyboards and acoustic guitar. The song builds again from this point, with DiMino sounding strong vocally from the off. Drummer Billy Orrico soon adds a bit of a groove to this low key backing, and everything then builds towards the song's explosive chorus - which utilises the big riffs from earlier. DiMino soars vocally here, his melodies grabbing hold from the off, whilst Calv lays down a hooky synth line behind him. There are lots of excellent choruses on this album, but The Torch's really showcases the band's hooky pomp sound perfectly. It is sure to lodge in the brain thanks to its majestic sound - and a later instrumental section which features Calv and Meadows trading solos back and forth is worthy of any 1970s progressive rock album. The Torch is classic Angel, and it perfectly gets the album underway in style. Black Moon Rising also opens slowly, with effects-heavy and soulful female backing vocals setting the tone, before a groovy rhythm led by Orrico and bassist Steve Ojane kicks in. The song has a slightly funky edge as a result, but it does not lay into this sound too heavily - with the classic Angel feel still shining. The verses have a distinct sound thanks to the prominence of the rhythm section, with the guitars adding stabbing chords, but the chorus returns to something more typical as Calv's organ rumbles into view and DiMino launches into a weighty vocal that suits the Deep Purple-esque explosion which sits below him. The funk is abandoned for the chorus, with a harder rock sound shining, whilst the backing vocals from the song's intro add depth. Meadows later showcases his talents with a lengthy and acrobatic guitar solo, and the mid-paced, varied song showcases Angel's progressive leanings whilst still delivering on what their fans would expect from them.
It's Alright is much simpler, and reminds me quite a bit of the sound which Angel went for towards the end of their original run - as well as the more guitar-heavy sound of Risen. There is less pomp overall here, despite a few flashy keyboard runs from Calv, with Meadows and Farrow instead driving everything. It is a relatively straightforward hard rock track, but there is still plenty of melody throughout - and DiMino shines against this more restrained backing. In truth DiMino always shines, and his voice has barely aged a day, but this song feels like it was written to be a vocal-led piece - built around a catchy chorus and verses which generally just exist to provide a hard rock groove to back the vocals. Meadows does add a solo, and Calv does include the odd synth run, but this generally a riffy rock track - and after two busier songs it feels like a bit of a palette cleanser. The obscenely-titled Once Upon a Time an Angel and a Devil Fell in Love (And It Did Not End Well) follows, and immediately returns to the more bombastic sound with which the album opened. Calv's keyboards are pushed to the fore again, but there is still plenty of riffy heaviness throughout. There is less of a dynamic arrangement here, with the guitars constantly grinding away to provide a tough backing - stabbing around a groovy verse drum pattern which also includes a prominent bass presence. As such, the verses snake along, with Calv's keyboards filling every gap, whilst the chorus is much more typical with a more straightforward beat and rumbling organ. This backs DiMino's big vocals, and some band-led gang vocal harmonies - with these harmonies and hooks helping the song to be memorable. There is not really a solo section here, sadly, with a strange, theatrical spoken word section instead filling that role. I could have personally done without this part, as it is quite cheesy, but the song as a whole still feels like classic Angel with plenty of hooks. Let It Rain then slows the pace, and acts as the album's only real ballad. It opens slowly, with Calv's piano soon being joined by DiMino - who sings over the melodic backing in an emotional manner. The female backing vocals used earlier in the album return here, and the vocal harmonies and arrangements here really make the song shine. As the chorus is approached the backing vocals sing with DiMino in a call-and-response style, which works really well, and the chorus itself sounds huge thanks to this big vocal presence. DiMino powers through the mix, his rich voice carrying the melodies perfectly, but harmonies really flesh the song out - particularly as there is not a huge presence from the rest of the band here. Calv's piano dominates, with the rest of the band generally just providing a rhythmic backing as and when needed - although Meadows does throw in a brief solo towards the end. As this album is generally pretty rocking, Let It Rain is a welcome addition - and it really showcases DiMino's singing abilities.
Psyclone returns to the band's trademark pomp rock sound, and it was one of the songs that really stood out to me from the off thanks to the excellent guitar riffing throughout and the use of keyboards. Meadows and Farrow drive the song with a barrelling guitar riff, which whips up plenty of energy from the off, but the keyboard accents and leads are what make this song really tick. Calv often uses organ, Uriah Heep style, to add drama to the energetic riffing - whilst elsewhere he turns to his synths to lay down a flashy lead. The interplay between the guitars and keyboards is great throughout the song, and the energy created allows DiMino to lay down a high-energy vocal - particularly during the staccato grooves of the chorus. The song is instantly-memorable as a result, and it is one of my favourite cuts here. Blood of My Blood, Bone of My Bone reins it in somewhat, and goes for a bit more of a cinematic sound overall. The song still rocks, but it has more of a poppy tone overall - with plenty of influence seemingly coming from the 1970s glam rock scene. Calv's keyboards, be it synths early on or the piano melodies which come later, drive everything - whilst the rest of the band provide a bit of crunch and groove. There's a smoothness to the piece as a result, which really suits DiMino's vocal style, and the female backing vocals return again to add soulful layers - as well as to bulk out the summery chorus with lots of harmonies. The song is certainly not the hardest-hitting piece here, but I really like the overall approach taken. The melodies are very infectious thanks to the smoothness, and it feels like the sort of song that the band would have had fun with - and likely pays tribute to some of their main early 1970s influences. Turn the Record Over returns to the simpler, guitar-driven sound which characterised Risen. There are keyboards here adding a synth backing, but generally the guitars dominate - with a big Meadows lead opening things up against a backdrop of a snappy rhythm and a joyous overall vibe. The song is pretty upbeat, then, and it really screams 'single' as a result. I feel like this song could have been a hit if had been released in the 1980s, as everything about it has been finely-crafted to ensure that the hooks shine. From the opening guitar lead to the bouncy chorus, the song is a bit of a masterclass in pop rock songwriting. The chorus is catchy from the off, with DiMino's vocal melodies having an infectious quality, and Meadows' later solo builds on the opening lead to create something which is also packed full of memorable motifs. There are more involved songs here, but the hooks are undeniable - and it is a shame that radio stations around the world will not be blasting it.
Rock Star ups the heaviness again a bit, and goes for a punchy, groovy sound. Orrco's drums really lead the charge here, his stabbing bass drum and snare clattering through the mix, whilst guitars take a bit of a wah-drenched approach - which give the verses a strange sound. The band's usual wall of sound approach has been toned down a bit here, and the mix has a bit more space - which allows these wah riffs to really breathe. The chorus is more typical, with harder riffing and a strong synth backing, but the verses do feel a bit different - and the song has a bit of an edge to it as a result, similar to how Black Moon Rising utilised funky grooves earlier in the album. It is a good mix of familiar and different, then, with Meadows lengthy and screaming guitar solo somewhat bringing everything together before a final rendition of the weighty chorus hits. A big drum barrage then heralds the introduction of Without You, a heavier overall song with crunchy guitar riffs that drive everything and the occasional flash of synth. In general this is a tougher song, with the riffing dominating, but Calv's keyboards are never too far away - adding a spacy halo when needed, as well as the occasional flashy lead. There are a few moments here which see the guitars and keyboards trade licks, adding to the band's overall progressive vibe, but generally this is a song which focuses on muscular guitar riffs - with Meadows' solo being a busy collection of notes. It is not a song which shines vocally as much as some, but the overall toughness helps it the stand out - and the driving riffing throughout is welcome. The album then comes to a close with Liar Liar, a song which returns to a poppier overall sound. It is another track that has the vibe of a single, and the upbeat summery song again channels some 1970s glam rock influences with its sugary chorus and occasional synth breaks. The band's general toughness remains, but it has been toned down somewhat to allow for a big vocal arrangement to shine. The riffing keeps everything moving, though, whilst Occrio's drums add a bouncy groove throughout. The synths add a bit of a grandness, but in general this is a song which focuses on pop hooks. I had perhaps expected something grander to close the album, but the hookiness of Liar Liar actually works well - especially following the heavier previous song. Having Angel back in recent years has certainly been a treat, and this second album of the new era really delivers on what the fans want. The songs here are vibrant and melodic, and it is great to see the veteran band sounding so fresh after so long away. There is nothing not to like here for fans of pomp rock, and I hope that there is more to come from DiMino and Meadows yet.
The album was released on 21st April 2023 via Cleopatra Records. Below is the band's official trailer for the album, which features snippets of a number of its songs.
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