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CARE OF NIGHT
Connected

AOR Heaven (2015)
Rating: 8.5/10

Emerging from the ashes of Swedish heavy metal band Seven Tears in 2009, Care Of Night was formed by guitarist Jonathan Carlemar, bassist Fredrik Lager and keyboardist Kristofer von Wachenfeldt. Lager was replaced by Jonas Rosengren in May 2013, and with the addition of vocalist Carl-Johan “Calle” Schönberg and drummer Linus Svensson the band entered the studio with producers Anders and Erik Wigelius (Wigelius) to record a self-titled four-song EP.

Connected is the band’s debut full-length album, and again enlists the production talents of the Wigelius brothers who have taken that rich, warm AOR sound and upped the ante once again, the overall result being a thick, cosy sound which enables each track to shine through its varying positives.

The opener is the bombastic ‘Cassandra’, a typical melodic rock powerhouse which in a sense is inhabited by the expected harmonious rock melodies and lovelorn lyrics, but with Schönberg’s sugar sweet vocal abilities it’s a case of Care Of Night finally finding that effortless sound. The album in general is such a well-rounded affair, from those keyboard sprinkles and prodding drums which pad out the beefier segments as tracks such as ‘Cassandra’ build up to their crescendo. With every upsurge, ‘Cassandra’ is classic AOR, featuring that soulful voice and sprightly guitar drive. One could argue that it’s all very predictable, but then again, for me, this is what classy melodic rock is all about and once the sound makes way for a killer solo we’re aware of experiencing a nigh on perfect semi-metallic pseudo-ballad.

With the album starting on such a high I was concerned that maybe Care Of Night would not be able to maintain the momentum, but thankfully I was wrong. The pulsating jab of ‘Heart Belongs’ comes strutting to the fore as a nice, easy-going bop of pop-edged sensitivity, and then with ‘Those Words’ we get another joyously constructed rocker featuring a weightier chug with a nice nodding drum.

Care Of Night is a bright and breezy outfit who are more than happy to stick to the guns of AOR luxuriousness but never do they resort to a tepid pomp, and with such sterling production the guitar sounds fat and warm, the bass is solid throughout, providing that sturdy backbone, and the keyboards do their job without drowning the overall sound. Schönberg has the ideal voice for such big harmonies, enabling each track to simmer before those extravagant hooks dig in to the ears.

As one listens to each track there is such a cool, comforting air even through the contrasting styles and tempos. For instance, ‘Dividing Lines’ is a soulful ballad with a simple tip-toeing piano, while ‘Please Remember’ has a sassy strut about it and features some blazing leads. The way each track steadily builds is testament to how these guys understand the techniques required for creating such memorable tunes. And this quality is nowhere more evident than on the excellent ‘Unify’ with its superb start of ascending rhythms and then gradual slide into a lower tempo before once again building to a nice chorus. With the closing ‘Say You Will’, meanwhile, we get that contrasting trickle of stark acoustic guitar and Schönberg’s dominant croon.

Connected is an excellent slab of commercial melodic rock that draws you and wraps you up in its cosy blanket of sound.

Neil Arnold

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