Ray Of Light Salute

Sometimes things are not as they seem. The best example of this is RAY OF LIGHT, whose debut album "Salute" appears like a bright comet in the rock music scene. A superficial look at the band initially seems to reveal a seemingly shiny, polished piece of the puzzle, given the umbilical cord that leads to the Nuremberg AOR icons Frontline: Founded by songwriter and guitarist Robby Boebel and drummer Stephan Bayerlein, bassist Thomas "Hutch" Bauer can also be found in the line-up of the new shining lights. The goosebump-inducing vocals of vocal monster Gregg Cromack and the completely unique guitar style of Jörg "Warthy" Wartmann make the line-up complete and add a very special charakter. The latter has taken the place of Robby Boebel, who passed away far too early in 2022, in whose memory and spirit the band releases an album that contains 10 outstanding songs. Under the name Ray of Light, they are now embarking on a powerful, raw journey that brings together distinctive songwriting, sophisticated, powerful rhythms and a sense for melodic, memorable structures and arrangements, revealing a kaleidoscope of facets:
The opening track "Falling To Pieces", immediately makes your ears prick up with its well-tempered heavy mid tempo and a chorus that hooks into your ears, including a piano tempo brake that creates further drama towards the end. The title song "Ray of Light" noticeably picks up the pace, and the powerful vocal line sets a big exclamation mark. "City Of Angels" surprises with atmospheric changes between fast and slow, with the choir and lead vocals effectively intertwined in the chorus and an eruptive solo climax in the last third. The tracks Stand Up and Best of Me are classic songs every rock fan will immediately fall in love with and that you will still hear for many years to come. "Fallin' From Grace" gradually builds up tension, then blossoms into a magnificent song in full melodic aroma. To top it all off, "How Long" really goes all out with its unique songwriting and splashes of solo color. None of the ten compositions on "Salute" fall below mediocre quality, and they are far removed from run-of-the-mill composition patterns, so they can confidently pat themselves on the back for an album that is not off the shelf.
With its down-to-earth authenticity that runs through the entire album, the quartet delivers a real banger that will make some noise at the rock community and it will most likely stand the test of time.
Source: Baysis Media