Aside from these guest musicians, Hess and Lesperance are joined on drums by regular studio collaborator Creighton Doane - although original drummer Darren Smith, who still tends to play live with the band, contributed backing vocals throughout and actually sings one song, too. It is a concise album, too, at just under 40 minutes long - so there is very little fat within the 10 songs featured. One of the strongest cuts opens things up, with the album's title track really setting the tone for the smooth sound and big melodies to come. Percussive drumming and a slow-burning melodic guitar lead create a cinematic opening to the anthemic song - and I really like how things open slowly, building towards an explosive chorus which signals the rest of the band to truly crash in. The first verse is built around this percussive drum pattern from Doane, then, with the guitars moving back and forth between the aforementioned lead and the odd arpeggiated melody - over which Hess sings in his confident, melodic manner. His voice is perhaps a little rougher around the edges than it once was, but his clear, melodic qualities still shine through - and the rougher edges only serve to add a little character. The drums kick in properly for the chorus, which sees some soaring vocal melodies which immediately stick in the brain - whilst subtle gang vocals add a melodic counterpoint. Later verses are more straight ahead, and a melodic guitar solo allows Lesperance to showcase his abilities, but overall this track is about its chorus - and it is one that is sure to become a fan-favourite thanks to its hooks. Better the Devil You Know immediately feels smoother overall - and it showcases that harder lean towards a more overtly AOR sound previously described. There is no such build-up this time, with the song being much more typical with a pulsing verse driven by the bass playing of Andy Curran (Coney Hatch; Soho 69; Envy of None), who guests on this one track, and some melodic guitar playing - over which Hess sounds much smoother than he did on the harder rocking previous song. Like the last track, though, it is the chorus which really shines - and the effort here has a Foreigner-esque touch of class thanks to Hess' smooth vocal delivery and the subtle vocal harmonies throughout. The strident nature of the rhythm section keeps the track nicely grounded, though, and it feels punchy despite the huge melodies. Lesperance's guitar solo is busier this time, though, in contrast to the more deliberate vibe of the rest of the track. Slow Burn picks up the pace somewhat, and this feels like more of a typical harder rock piece - similar of the band's core sound of the past. There are still plenty of smooth melodies, with Hess' soaring chorus melodies and harmonies adding plenty of AOR goodness despite a more urgent place throughout - with Lesperance's guitar and bass playing (he handles the majority of the latter throughout the album) busier and more potent. The verses are filled out by some somewhat punky bass playing, which are countered by Hess' strong vocals - whilst the guitar riffing over the top is very much 1980s hard tock in tone. These elements all fuse together nicely, though, to create an upbeat and infectious song which breaks through the usual AOR mid-paced wall to deliver something a bit more hard-hitting. Lesperance even shreds a bit during his solo - but the hooks of the chorus will keep any AOR loving coming back for more.
Gotta Keep Your Head Up features Smith singing in place of Hess. Smith has sung a few Harem Scarem songs in the past, and also previously sung for guitar legend Jake E. Lee, so he has somewhat established himself as a singer as well as a drummer - and his voice is not all that dissimilar to Hess' in truth, despite a slightly rougher overall tone. He sounds a bit 'heavier' throughout the song, then, but the core Harem Scarem sound is still very much retained, though. Hess adds harmonies throughout, particularly during the chorus, and the track is, again packed full of melodies. Like the last song, though, there are some heavier vibes here - with a crunchy guitar pattern which drives the verses and a weighty drum groove. The chorus is another winner, though, with the vocals of both Smith and Hess really bringing it to life. World on Fire then slows the pace down and acts as the album's only real ballad - with sparing guitar chords and big piano chords setting the tone as the song opens up. The first verse is very much based around this arrangement, then, and it takes until the chorus for the rest of the band to really join. This is the only song on the album which Hess wrote alone, and after hearing it that fact is not a surprise. Lesperance's playing very much takes a backseat here, although he does add some delicate melodies to later verses, with Hess' vocals taking the spotlight - both during the verses and throughout the aching chorus. Musically, the song is quite sparse, then, but this just allows the vocal melodies and Hess' emotion to shine through - although Lesperance does include a short, but potent, guitar solo. In a Bad Way returns to a harder-hitting sound, and Lesperance immediately roars back into the spotlight with a creeping, mid-paced, bluesy riff which forms the basis of much of the song. Whilst the same riff is simplified somewhat for the verses, to allow the vocals to shine, the overall groove it establishes remains - and the track is a good example of Harem Scarem's core sound. This is because there are strong melodic moments, with another memorable chorus and some keyboard additions creating a smooth verse texture, but there are hard rock riffs and grooves to help toughen things up. Whilst this album has been a bit smoother than is perhaps typical, In a Bad Way still very much feels at home here - and the riffing of Lesperance is a big part of why this song is a strong addition to the album. Reliving History is perhaps a bit more typical of this album's core sound, though, with a smoother sound overall and an arrangement which builds towards its chorus. Perhaps what holds this song back, though, is the fact that it sounds quite similar to Better the Devil You Know. Better the Devil You Know is the better song, with a stronger chorus, so Reliving History suffers somewhat given that the former already feels familiar after only a few listens. The verses, melodic guitar approach, and the chorus build are very similar - whilst the chorus itself feels a bit different to create a point of difference. It is not a bad song in and of itself, but this similarity makes it one of the weaker cuts here for me.
A Falling Knife immediately returns to a harder rocking sound - racing out of the blocks with a busy guitar riff which is right out of the 1970s. Following the smooth, slow-build of the previous track - there is a noticeable urgency this time, and Hess allows the rougher edge of his voice to dominate a little here which adds to the song's overall tougher sound. There is little AOR to be featured this time - with Lesperance's big guitar riffing really leaping out of the speakers and Hess pushing himself vocally to match these riffs. Even the chorus is more typically hard rock than AOR and there is none of the band's usual soaring approach here - with fast-paced melodies and a snappier approach working well considering the riffing and the drive of the rhythm section. Occasional organ chords in the background add depth, too, and the song is a late highlight on the album. Understand It All, despite being built around a pretty strident guitar riff, reintroduces plenty of smoothness following the rollocking hard rock of the previous song - whilst also injecting a somewhat funky groove. Whilst Lesperance's opening riff is perhaps what is latched onto initially, it is his bass playing during the verses which really sticks. There is a really infectious rhythm as this song moves along and it makes the track another which sticks in the brain. There are also some interesting guitar melodies during the verses, which expand somewhat as the song moves along, but the bass is generally the focus throughout - and this is even somewhat the case during a typically melodic chorus. There is more of a guitar presence during the chorus, but the bass playing still adds a lot - and Hess' vocal melodies are excellent as always. Lesperance also gets to shine during a lengthy guitar solo section, too, which starts off busy with lots of acrobatics before settling into a more mid-paced mode with some melodic phrasing. The album then comes to a close with Wasted Years, another pacier number which treads that line between AOR and harder rock in a very typical manner for Harem Scarem. The faster pace does mean that it feels pretty energetic, which means that it does lean more towards the harder rock side of things - but there are still plenty of hooks throughout, with even the faster chorus still filled with AOR-esque melodies. The fast pace allows for some crunchy guitar riffing, too, but I would still say that the vocal melodies shine the brightest - with Hess using gritter vocals during the verses and his smoother delivery during the chorus. Throw in another pretty busy guitar solo and the song is another very enjoyable cut - with the closing moments of the solo being especially fast-paced. It really ends the album on an energetic high, then, and given the smoother overall sound of this album this harder rocking end feels like a nice bit of punctuation. As is likely apparent, this is an album which I have been enjoying a lot - and each listen only enhances that view. As much as I have enjoyed the few other albums by the band which I have heard, Chasing Euphoria might be my favourite yet - even compared to the classics from the early 1990s. Nearly every song here is memorable and packed full of hooks - and there is a surprising amount of variety, too. Harem Scarem very much sound like themselves, too, and it is nice to hear a new melodic rock album which is not just trying to ape the legends of the 1970s and 1980s.
The album was released on 25th April 2025 via Frontiers Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Chasing Euphoria.
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