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GRAND DESIGN
Viva La Paradise

GMR Music (2018)
Rating: 7.5/10

The modern Swedish rock movement, especially within the “sleaze” and “glam” genres, really does grate on my soul, but Grand Design’s latest opus Viva La Paradise isn’t bad at all if you like nice, nifty, airy melodic metal.

Formed in 2006 by vocalist / producer Pelle Saether (ex-Zello), Grand Design have – in prolific fashion – crafted an 80s style of AOR but with a huge dollop of modern dynamics thrown in to give it edge and gloss.

Opener ‘Face It’ pretty much sums up the band. It’s a driving, straight forward anthem of contemporary structure whereby the fluent vocals have a slightly mechanical edge at times, but still provide enough deftness and power. The same could also be said for the percussion of new sticksman Joakim Jonsson, whose timely thuds give this track a steely, but not bony backbone.

And that’s the theme throughout, with Grand Design giving us two options; metallic glories of subtle edge or AOR laced accessibility, although surprisingly a ballad is nowhere to be found.

Of the steelier grooves, there’s faves such as ‘Rawk ‘N’ Roll Hysteria’ with its hints of Def Leppard harmonies and mechanised grooves coming to blows with the pumping hair metal chorus, with flecks of Pretty Boy Floyd and the likes. The title track provides a steady groove also; the cool breeze of guitar and bass working in subtle tandems. But for me it’s tracks such as ‘Don’t Ice Me Out’ which entertain the most; this one being a thrashy chugger.

At times, the vocals do get lost in the mix, which is rather frustrating considering Pelle Saether’s talents as a producer. However, it’s still an enjoyable listen all round, whether in the form of the instant ‘Aim 4 The Heart’, or the edgy ‘I Would Be The Wind’ with its infectious soaring chorus.

For those seeking something more slick and simmering then dive into the killer ‘It’s Only Straight From The Heart’, which blends subtlety and hardness, and a killer solo too. ‘Too Late To Fall In Love’ then comes nodding in straight from the 80s. With hints of Mötley Crüe at their sweetest, this glam-tinged rocker pulsates nicely with its mid-tempo prods.

Grand Design just knows how to craft sugary melodies, driven by that AOR influence so that we get the infectious marrying of lighter shades and tougher, more persistent grooves. Yes, there’s something so familiar with this traditional air, but as Viva La Paradise unravels one grows to appreciate the gloss and the gleam as the harmonious riffs leak into the ears. Grand Design rarely step out of the boundaries of the AOR caressed framework, and that’s fine by me.

Neil Arnold

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