Dare is the creature of Darren Warthon, a talented musician, grown up with Thin Lizzy and in the heart of 80's. The first Dare release OUT OF SILENCE is a "must" for all those who feel the lack of 80's a.o.r....an album to be listened to in silence...but opening your soul , it's impossible to not enter in the magic 80's atmosphere listening to " Return to the heart", and if exist a definition, It can't be but dreamin' rock!

Dare return with this release, the follow up to their "Belief", without to forget the magic atmosphere of "Calm before the storm" in 1998.

Darren and its unmistakable voice are the protagonist of this cd, in which the romanticism meets the darkness; It's impossible to not dreaming when listenig to many songs of this album, that seems to be composed in a fantastic imaginary place in the shadow of a sunset but with a dark sea.....full of melancholy. But, on the whole, I say that there's no variety in the way to compose songs, and this is the main Dare defect.

"Sea of Roses" begins with the classic Dare-style in which magic keyboards meets a guitar arpeggio...and Darren shows its melancholy into a suffered melody.

I like the sound they're able to make....there's no trace of electronics, but they're able to create a perfect arrangement in order to create that dreamin' rock I told before, though in my opinion they'd try also to find different arrangements solutions in order to give much more variety to the songs....

There are unmistakable passionate melodies. such as" Silent Hills" that get a positive charm; The title-track that  is a melancholic ballad in which Darren is able to create a relaxed melody.

 "The Battles that you've won" gets a  fantastic melody!!!!!! A perfect guitar arrangement that reminds me of U2 (although into a different kind of music) and a fantastic Darren!!! He's able to give a magic interpretation...

Another good melody is into the next "Allowed to fall"; "I'll be with you" shows how much romanticism this cd gets, but it's impossible not to think that there's too much monotony in the structures and the arrangements as well.

"Where Darkness ends" begins with a sad keyboard and piano intro...and after appears Darren's voice!!!!Another successful melody into a passionate song.

Unfortunately the album is not closed in a very good way: "Storm Wind" and "Last Train" are the most boring songs of this cd, in which Darren is not able to create something up to the task; He has not found those famous bittersweet chord that usually makes their songs dreaming.

The only defect of this album is that there's no variety in the way to make music, but if you look forward ...the romanticism of this album is a perfect soundtrack for all "broken hearts"....

 

rating: 7/10

 

Salvo  Russo