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Tommy Denander is the most important modern AOR persona. His
exceptional guitar skills are well
known in the melodic rock community,
along with his ability to create insuperable
productions for all the projects he
was responsible of. And believe me
they are numerous. "Talk Of The
Town", "Deacon Street Project",
"Sayit", "Rainmaker",
"Prisoner" and, his greatest
achievement, "Radioactive"
(you ought to acquire "Taken"
by all means) are the most important.
He has collaborated with almost everyone
in the AOR/Melodic Hard Rock genre,
but he just can't get enough! Fergie
Frederiksen, is a top class vocalist
who has sung with Trillion, Le Roux,
Toto (every home should have Toto's
"Isolation" - an AOR classic!),
Frederiksen/Phillips, Mecca. Both
of them gave us a gem. A superb California
style AOR to die for!
If we overlook a couple of songs,
we're facing a peerless class album.
An album based on grandiose hooklines,
bombastic choruses, in-your-face keyboards
and astonishing guitar solos by the
great Tommy Denander. "Baptism
by Fire" has got almost everything
we love, plus a fantastic Fergie Frederiksen
who sings up to his limits. As for
the production? Well one thing must
be told: giant. I agree that, for
some, the lack of ballads it could
be a weak point, but let's focus in
the fact that this release is on fire
and the rhythm is so impetuous that
almost leaves you breathless.
Anthems like "Let Him Go",
"Right Heart, Wrong Time",
"Silver Lining", "Crossing
Over", "Written In Stone",
"Saving Grace", "Never
Try To Love Again" and "Left
With Nothing" don't come around
too often. Or do they? Especially
the title song is the most moving
and as Fergie says: "Baptism
by Fire is the one song that means
the most to me. I think TD feels the
same way because it is about our Fathers.
When my Dad was slipping away and
I was home in Michigan, I wrote the
hook. The lyrics put the whole thing
together. Jim Peterik is first of
all a dear friend and also someone
who has a way with story telling not
many possess."
Denander made a smasher; he created
the absolute summertime soundtrack.
If you consider yourself an AORster,
then there's only one thing you can
actually do. Hear it now!
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