The Night Flight Orchestra's 'Give Us the Moon' - Album Review

It is strange to think that, before last month, it had been well over two years since Björn 'Speed' Strid released an album. As the frontman of both Soilwork and The Night Flight Orchestra, as well as a few other less active projects, for a few years it seemed like something new from him was dropping yearly. Since Soilwork's last album, 2022's Övergivenheten (which I reviewed here), Strid has been fairly quiet on the new music front. Both bands have toured in that time, but such lengthy runs of productivity tend to run their course - so a bit of a break from writing and recording likely allowed Strid to recharge. The other reason for the gap, though, is much more sad - and that is the death of David Andersson not long after Övergivenheten's release. Andersson had been Strid's right hand man in both Soilwork and The Night Flight Orchestra for a number of years, the latter since the start, and he also had become the lead songwriter for both bands. Strid, and others, chipped in, but Andersson essentially drove both bands creatively since 2012 - which is when The Night Flight Orchestra released their debut album Internal Affairs (his first album with Soilwork, the epic double The Living Infinite, followed a year later). I imagine that Strid was not sure where to take things following Andersson's death. Soilwork has always been his band, and existed long before Andersson came aboard, but The Night Flight Orchestra always felt like Andersson's baby - so I imagine that most would have understood if Strid decided to put the band to bed following Andersson's death. The band decided to carry on, though, bringing Rasmus Ehrnborn (Soilwork) in to replace Andersson - keeping things in the family. Andersson had rarely toured with either band in recent years, with Ehrnborn having filled in for him live at The Night Flight Orchestra's shows previously - so having him join the band full-time made sense. Andersson's songwriting prowess was always going to be hard to replace, though, as he seemed to be extremely prolific and consistent - but Strid and the rest of the band seem to have stepped up on that front and last month their first post-Andersson album Give Us the Moon dropped - their seventh overall and their first since 2021's Aeromantic II (which I reviewed here). Strid has written plenty of big songs for the band before, but he has become the main songwriter on this album for the first time really - ably assisted by a Ehrnborn and guitarist Sebastian Forslund. Forslund has been something of a secondary songwriter for the band for a number of years, but on this album he has really stepped up - collaborating with Strid on a handful of songs and even writing alone. Sound-wise, too, the band's trademark sound is ever-present. The band's usual mix of AOR, pomp, and yacht rock is very much present and correct - and there is perhaps even more of a Toto vibe than ever during portions of the album. The album also marks the debut of backing singer Åsa Lundman in the studio with the band - who replaced Anna-Mia Bonde in 2022.

Laying heavily into the band's flying theme, the short spoken intro Final Call (Intro) recreates an airport announcement, calling the band to their flight, before the first song proper Stratus kicks in. One of two tracks co-written by Erhnborn, the band's new lead guitarist makes his presence felt from the off - although it is perhaps keyboard player John Lönnmyr who shines the brightest at first. His flashy opening keyboard melody and later Survivor-esque synth pulses really drive the song - although the guitar crunch of Erhnborn and Forslund give the track plenty of weight. The Night Flight Orchestra never forget to rock out despite their re-creation of 1980s melodic rock - and this track showcases the band's harder rock credentials at times. The riffing is always crunchy, despite the keyboard presence, whilst the bass of Sharlee D'Angelo really underpins everything. What always makes the band's songs stand out, though, are Strid's vocal melodies. The verses here are catchy, with a stop-start feel and some big drum fills from Jonas Källsbäck, whilst the chorus has more of an urgency and some soulful Toto-esque melodies - with Lundman and fellow backing singer Anna Brygård adding plenty of depth behind Strid. Erhnborn makes his mark with a fluid and hooky guitar solo, which sits nicely atop some pulsing electric piano, and it is safe to say that the band's core sound is very much present and correct. Lead single Shooting Velvet follows - which is a very poppy track from Strid. It is one of a few songs here which showcases a bit of a disco edge - something which the band have often flirted with before. The song somewhat feels like this album's take on Divinyls - albeit a little tougher overall. The keyboards drive everything, a warm synth lead the main hook, whilst the verses feature Nile Rodgers-esque clean guitar chords and rhythms. The chorus is similar, albeit a bit rockier overall - and it is one of those choruses which really benefits from an unexpected melodic twist towards the end to elevate it further. A busy, harmony guitar solo is later thrown in, too, and the track is one which is sure to stick in the brain from the off. Like the Beating of a Heart is notable in the sense that it is the only song here written by Andersson. Whether there are others which will feature on other albums or whether this will end up being his last song for the band remains to be seen - but it is nice to have something by him on this album. It is a slightly moodier song than is sometimes typical for the band, but there is a strong percussive underpinning - with Forslund adding his congas to Källsbäck's drum groove. The song is still very memorable, and the chorus feels a bit more explosive than the rest of the song, but it is not as bombastic as the band can often be - which gives it a relatively downbeat feel. The band have done songs like this before, though, and I like the space in the mix which allows D'Angelo's bass to sound massive - whilst keyboard flourishes and the backing vocals give the track a hint of class.

Melbourne, May I? is the first of four songs here which Forslund contributed to (although he is also credited for the album's intro). As mentioned earlier, he has often been something of a secondary songwriter for the band, keeping things varied, and he has stepped up here to contribute some more in Andersson's absence. His writing in the past has generally shown the band taking a slightly different direction, and that is certainly true of some of his later efforts, but Melbourne, May I? is very much typical The Night Flight Orchestra thanks to its driving synth hooks and hard rock grounding. It picks up the pace following the more downbeat previous song - going instead for a snappier overall feel, particularly during the chorus. Generally the band, and melodic rock acts in general, tend to slow down for choruses, to allow the vocal hooks to really breathe, but this song accelerates during the chorus - with fast-paced vocal melodies from Strid and lots of body added by the ladies. Strid unleashes one of his high-pitched screams to lead into a later instrumental section, which features plenty of soloing from the keyboards and the guitars. Miraculous is the second track here co-written by Erhnborn - and it is another very classic-sounding track for the band, showing that he has already bedded in nicely. As with his previous writing effort, the main musical hook comes from the keyboards - but the guitar riffing throughout the intro is very snaking and groovy. Whilst the verses are a bit more stripped back, with a synth backing and the bass forming a smooth backing for Strid's voice, the instrumental sections and the chorus feel much bigger - with pulsing electric piano melodies cutting through whilst the aforementioned snaking riffing adds a slight heaviness. The chorus is another with some pretty snappy vocal hooks, too, and it manages to stick in the brain despite the mix feeling pretty busy during these parts of the song. Spacey keyboard melodies and guitar harmonies fill a later instrumental section - and the song ends proving that Erhnborn was the right choice to replace Andersson. Strid then returns to the spotlight with the power ballad Paloma. Given the type of music that The Night Flight Orchestra play, and the era they clearly love so much, power ballads are a surprising rarity on their albums. Given the metal backgrounds of many of those involved in the band perhaps this should not be such a big surprise, but nevertheless I would have expected to have heard more of them by now. Paloma is a great addition to the band's catalogue, though, with a mournful synth hook leading the initial verse - before the song explodes into a powerful chorus which is led nicely by Strid's rich vocals. Even though the song feels like a ballad, it still rocks pretty hard - and Källsbäck's drumming during the chorus even creates a disco feel. It is another track with a bit of a downbeat feel, though, and it is a welcome change of pace from much of the bombast and pomp found elsewhere on the album.

Changing things up somewhat, though, is Forslund's Cosmic Tide. It is the first song he has written for the band alone - and it certainly feels quite different when compared to the band's usual sound. It feels a bit more progressive overall and there is something of a psychedelic feel throughout thanks to some ever-present electric piano melodies, busy guitar rhythms, and a percussive feel due to some relatively complex drumming for a pop-centric piece. I have always felt that Toto are likely the band's biggest influence and this song certainly channels some of Toto's more bonkers pieces - with a massive chorus that cuts through the slight chaos found elsewhere to really hook the listener in. This song has been a real grower for me. I saw the band play the song live a couple of weeks ago, and it did not really hit home then as there is a lot going on throughout - but having heard the album a number of times now I feel that I get it, and the slightly jazzy guitar solo is the icing on the cake of what is something new and fresh-sounding for the band. Returning to something more typical, then, the album's title track is an anthemic mid-paced piece which is not as rocking as some of the band's songs - instead feeling somewhat more atmospheric and groovy overall. D'Angelo's bass is ever-present in the mix, with the verses really leaping out of the speakers thanks to his rumbling playing, whilst Källsbäck's drumming does a lot of the heavy lifting thanks to the groove in his playing. Lots of the song is actually pretty spacious in terms of the mix. The synths generally create a warmth throughout, despite the occasional melody, whilst the guitars take more of a backseat - only really kicking in in a big way during the chorus and to lay down the occasional lead. The solo section reinforces this overall feel, too. The guitar solo is very much a slow-burner, with some Pink Floyd-esque guitar tones on display - whilst the spacey synths also take on more of a role during this section, too. A Paris Point of View picks up the pace again, following the hooky but more mid-paced title track, and it also goes for a slightly quirky vibe. This is another Forslund-penned piece, so this slight point of difference should not be a surprise. The chorus is very much classic The Night Flight Orchestra, though, with a faster overall pace and plenty of disco-esque vibes - but the verses and main musical hooks feel a little staccato and out there, with a bit of a Supertramp feel to some of the grooves as well as the zany grandness of Dream Police-era Cheap Trick. It is another song which has really grown on me since first hearing it. I think that this is often the case with Forslund's songs, and I imagine if I looked back at the band's other albums I would agree, but he has a way of wrapping his melodies up in slightly quirky and different arrangements - whilst writing songs which still very much sit within the band's core sound. He is a great asset for a band like this as without the variety things could get stale.

He also co-wrote Runaways, his last contribution to the album, but this song is very much typical of the band's core sound - and it boasts one of the album's best choruses in my opinion. I have to say, though, the opening spoken word bit it pretty cheesy, and I could do without it, but once the song proper gets going it reveals itself to bit a staccato and groovy mid-paced rocker - which is very much Toto in style, particularly the verses and the pre-chorus pomp. The driving, off-kilter piano is very much out of the David Paich songbook - but the chorus feels a little different, with more prominent guitars and Survivor-esque melodies. The chorus really reminds me of another song, though, but I just cannot work out which one. The overall melody is very similar to something I know that I know well - but at the time of writing I have not been able to work it out. I am sure that it will hit me at some point - but this does not take anything away from the bombast and heroic melodies that chorus lays down. The guitar solo even manages to ape the feel of the chorus somehow. The instrumental sections are strange, too, as there is one which feels very atmospheric - before the aforementioned solo kicks in and adds plenty of groove. Another of the album's lead singles is up next, with the penultimate track being the up-tempo and disco-inspired Way to Spend the Night. Whilst some of the songs here have gone for a slightly more complex overall approach, this song feels like one which was written just to be packed full of melodies - and like many melodic rock classics of the past it really feels like a vehicle for its chorus. The pulsing synths and bass create that disco feel, with the guitars generally feeling less prominent this time, and the ladies contribute a lot throughout with their backing vocals and harmonies. This is very much a song which is all about its chorus, then, and luckily it is another of the album's best. It has a great carefree pop feel throughout - and it sticks in the brain after only a couple of listens. There is a flashy synth solo later, which is a lot of fun, but musically this song is less interesting than most of the others here - with the track's aim of being a catchy single achieved thanks to the chorus. The album then comes to a close with the slightly longer Stewardess, Empress, Hot Mess (and the Captain of Pain) - which is really the only song here that has not really grabbed me yet. It opens in a subtle manner, with some gentle piano melodies - but the song soon morphs into a pretty typical one for the band. Its longer arrangement does allow it to stretch out somewhat - but for me it is lacking some of the big hooks the band is known for. It is a song that I enjoy whilst it is playing, but none of the melodies really stick with me when it finishes. Every other song here is built around a big chorus, but this one lacks the standout melodies which come elsewhere - and the longer arrangement does give it the feeling sometimes of being a few different ideas stitched together without a coherent hook to pull everything together. There is nothing to dislike about the song, but compared to everything else here it is easily the album's weakest moment. It is a shame, as they clearly were trying to end on a more epic tune - but they left out the killer chorus which would have made it such. Despite this blip, though, Give Us the Moon remains a stellar album. The band have navigated losing Andersson really well - and have managed to carry on his sound throughout the album's 13 tracks, creating many excellent memories throughout. It certainly stacks up with the best of the past - and hopefully this band can continue writing anthems for many more years to come.

The album was released on 31st January 2025 via Napalm Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Shooting Velvet.