Vandenberg's '2020' - Album Review

For those of us 'in the know', when it comes to 1980s guitar heroes the Netherlands' Adrian Vandenberg is certain a name worthy of respect. While he never really became a household name, there is no denying that the flying Dutchman has amassed a substantial and impressive back catalogue over the past four decades. Whether it be with his self-titled band's original early 1980s run, playing the guitar solo on easily the most famous rendition of Whitesnake's Here I Go Again, or strutting the blues with the short-lived Manic Eden, Vandenberg always impresses. He was a big name during the hair metal era, and appeared in the most hair-sprayed iteration of Whitesnake, but in truth Vandenberg has always been more of a blues-based player. The first three albums he did with the original Vandenberg band showcased this, despite the 1980s sheen that those albums have, and his tasteful and emotionally-charged playing on Whitesnake's underrated 1997 album Restless Heart is up there with some of the best guitar work he has committed to tape. It is a shame that Vandenberg is not more well known as a guitarist, but those of us who are fans of his work know what everyone else is missing out on! It was with excitement then that I greeted an announcement earlier this year from the guitarist that revealed that he was going to resurrect his old 1980s self-titled act with a brand new line-up - which would also record the band's fourth album. That album, 2020, was released last month and it is a disc that I have been listening to an awful lot ever since. I am not familiar with all three of Vandenberg's original albums (not all of them are easy to track down, sadly), but I know enough to recognise that 2020 follows on nicely from the Dutchman's early work - while bringing his bluesy hard rock sound kicking and screaming into the modern day. 2020 sounds huge, and this is partly down to Vandenberg's guitar tone throughout; with credit also going to Bob Marlette's production (who also handles the album's mighty Hammond organ presence). As much as I enjoyed the two albums that Vandenberg did with the short-lived Vandenberg's Moonkings (and I reviewed MK II here), 2020 just sounds the part so much more than those releases ever did. The production here is huge and, while there is still a focus on the bluesy side of Vandenberg's playing, this is a hard rock album first and foremost. It also helps that Vandenberg has recruited the excellent Ronnie Romero (Lords of Black; Rainbow; The Ferrymen) to front this new version of his old band. While I blow hot and cold on Romero, when he is at his best he sounds fantastic - and his performance throughout 2020 is excellent. He is the perfect foil for Vandenberg's muscular riffing, while the rock solid rhythm section of bassist Randy van der Elsen (Tank) and drummer Koen Herfst (I Chaos; Dew-Scented; HDK) really bring this hard-hitting four-piece up to full strength. With legendary figures such Rudy Sarzo (Quiet Riot; Ozzy Osbourne; M.A.R.S.; Whitesnake; Manic Eden; Dio; Blue Öyster Cult) and Brian Tichy (Pride & Glory; Foreigner; Billy Idol; Lynch Mob; Whitesnake; The Dead Daisies) also adding bass and drums respectively to some of the songs (although their contributions are not specifically credited), this pushes the credibility of 2020 up even higher.

The album kicks off with the powerful Shadows of the Night, a racing hard rock number that is easily the weightiest thing that Vandenberg has penned in a number of years - and it immediately shows the chemistry that already exists between him and Romero. I loved Romero with Rainbow, but felt his contributions to Michael Schenker's most recent album were less than stellar. Sometimes I find that his overly-accented approach distracting, but throughout 2020 he sounds marvellous. He channels his inner Ronnie James Dio throughout the opening number, and this gritty approach fits in well with Vandenberg's driving Deep Purple-esque riff - which is backed up nicely with some subtle Hammond organ notes, particularly during the hooky chorus. While not exactly a far cry from the Vandenberg albums of the past, Shadows of the Night is heavier, meaner, and more aggressive sounding than anything the band have done previously - with touchstones here being Europe's recent output and early Whitesnake (ironically from before Vandenberg joined forces with David Coverdale). In many ways Shadows of the Night perfectly captures the vibe of the whole album. The riffing throughout is bluesy, but with plenty of bite, and Romero's vocal performance is captivating and melodic. It is a great kick-off track, and one of the best classic rock throwbacks of the year so far. Freight Train, which follows the opener, is similar, but the pace is slowed to more of a mid-paced crunch - which allows the bass to contribute a strong groove while Romero shifts from a Dio mode into a vein more similar to that of Coverdale. If Vandenberg was still in Whitesnake today, these are the sort of songs that he would be writing with Coverdale, and I can just imagine the legendary frontman adding his magic to the bluesy stomp that the track possess - although Romero is certainly an apt substitute. Despite the great vocal performance however, it is possibly the guitar solo that stands out the most for me. One thing that I have always respected about Vandenberg is that he always plays for the song. His solos are always tasteful and never outstay their welcome - which is a quality that not all guitar heroes seem to understand. Hell and High Water is very similar to Freight Train, with the slower mid-paced groove being retained throughout. The song is arguably heavier than what came before it however, with Vandenberg's main riff having some metal-esque weight to it - but the warm-sounding, organic production stops it from sounding too aggressive. Marlette's production throughout the album is excellent, and he has really brought the best out of Vandenberg here. The song's chorus shines, partly down the guitar tone and partly down to his own Hammond playing, and it allows Romero to sound his best with some slightly more overt high notes that again recall Dio somewhat. It is shame that Marlette is a name that is not mentioned too often any more. He was quite a big name in rock and metal production a decade or so ago, but he seems to have taken more of a backseat recently. This album is an example of why he should be employed more often, with the song's epic turn at the end sounding so great partly thanks to Marlette's keyboard and string arrangements.

Let it Rain is more of a ballad but, despite the gentler overall approach, the song still packs a punch. I do not think it is possible for this modern version of Vandenberg sound at all limp, as even their ballads are jam packed full of weighty guitar playing - with the passionate vocals of Romero constantly acting as the icing on the cake. The song's low key opening is the gentlest moment of the album so far, but this feeling is fairly short-lived. This band is just too powerful to be contained, and the explosive choruses are a great example of how Romero's voice can be used to great effect; while Vandenberg's controlled and emotional solo takes the melodies and themes used elsewhere and weaves them into a perfect tapestry to compliment the song as a whole. Ride Like the Wind is another strong mid-paced rocker that echoes Freight Train quite a lot, although a song is perhaps not quite as heavy as the songs that came before it. Vandenberg's main riff is a bit knottier than many of the weighty slabs that preceded it, with strong Schenker and John Norum vibes coming from his fingers. This is certainly one of the 'busier' songs from a guitar playing perspective. The song's main solo is much faster-paced than usual, with some pseudo neo-classical licks sitting nicely alongside more traditional hard rock shredding, while the main riff is more complex and overtly musical. These facts, combined with an epic-sounding chorus that sounds more expansive than many of the other efforts here, make Ride Like the Wind a very enjoyable and interesting song that showcases a bit of deviation from the norm while still sounding very much in-keeping with the album's overall sound. Shout is the album's only track that does not really connect with me in the way that the rest of the album does. Compared to the rest of the material here, it just sounds a bit half-baked. The main riff is a typical bluesy rock moment, but it does not get under the skin in the way that many of the other riffs here do, and the song's chorus is just not that memorable. It is a decent enough song. but when compared to the rest of the album is just falls a little flat. It sounds like a song left over from the Moonkings' sessions, which as a band went for a simpler, more stripped-back sound overall, rather than a rip-roaring hard rocker like the rest of the material here. After the short blip, Shitstorm really gets the album back on the right track with a more dynamic arrangement that really brings out the best of Romero as a singer while allowing Vandenberg to still showcase his guitar skills. The song opens somewhat slowly, with a low key bluesy, percussive opening that sees Romero singing in a softer fashion; but as soon as the song's main riff kicks in all of this early vibe is forgotten to be replaced with something suitably weighty and hard driving. It could be one of the heaviest tracks here, but it is also extremely memorable melodically with a soaring, hooky chorus and guitar solo worthy of a 1980s hard rock record.

Light Up the Sky sounds like the song Shout should have been. After opening up with a rollicking drum pattern, a simple bluesy riff kicks in which essentially defines the whole song - but the energy created throughout is increased significantly. It is a bluesy track, but played through a 1980s hard rock lens - which is essentially a perfect way to sum up Vandenberg's playing generally. The main riff has a bit of a John Sykes feel to it, as Vandenberg adds some speed and class to a classic blues-sounding motif while the drums beneath him clatter away with lots of fast-paced Tommy Aldridge-esque patterns. None of this would matter however if the song was not memorable, but thankfully it is. Romero's vocal melodies make for another strong chorus that is very easy to sing along to, and the main riff is a simple melodic moment that really sticks in the brain. It is another strong song on an album that is packed full of them, and is probably the song that is closest to the style Vandenberg went for on his early albums. That is, however, with the exception of Burning Heart - which is a re-recording of the band's biggest hit. It was originally on the band's self-titled 1982 debut album, and was a bit of a hit around the world, and certainly would have been the song that brought Vandenberg to the attention of Coverdale. I am not sure that we really needed a new version of the song, but it seems that re-recording old classics is a feature of 2020 as a few of the albums that I have covered so far this year have featured old songs brought into the modern day. The song is a big power ballad, and the original version is very of its time. It screams '1980s' in a big way, but this new recording certainly sounds more weighty and less shimmering. I enjoy listening to the new version, and Romero's vocal performance is certainly packed with emotion, but I am not really sure it was necessary to include it here. Thankfully, the updated version fits in with the overall style of the album - giving the song some extra teeth in comparison to how it sounded back in the day. The album comes to a close with Skyfall (which is not a cover of Adele's Bond theme), a dynamic song that goes for a somewhat more atmospheric approach while still maintaining the album's core hard rock sound. It opens slowly, with some bluesy clean guitar melodies and Romero's gentle singing, but soon opens up more around a Led Zeppelin-esque groove and a chorus that certainly has more in common with power metal than your average bluesy hard rock track. It is an odd mix of styles, but Vandenberg manage to make everything hang together. The groove throughout the song is extremely infectious, and the chorus is so catchy that it is very hard not to sing along with. The epic approach taken by the band here is a bit different from the rest of the album - but it still manages to fit in nicely with Vandenberg's overall style and closes the album in a fine and hard rocking fashion. Overall, 2020 is a great comeback album from Vandenberg (the band) and it is easily my favourite thing from the Dutch guitarist since at least Restless Heart. It is an uncompromising slab of hard rock that is very easy to listen to, and anyone who loves old-fashioned bluesy rock will definitely find a lot to enjoy here.

The album was released on 29th May 2020 via Mascot Records. Below is the band's promotional lyric video for Freight Train.