“Bad Religion” is the third studio album from BRAZEN ABBOT, the project masterminded by the multi-talented guitarist and producer Nikolo Kotzev, together with three members from the original EUROPE line-up and a set of singers second to none.
Originally released in 1997 on the German label USG Records, “Bad Religion” again enlisted an awesome cast ov lead vocalsits in Joe Lynn Turner performing 4 songs, Swede Göran Edman (4 tracks), and Thomas Vikström (3 tracks).
Long time out of print, now Frontiers Music brings this fresh 2024 reissue of this stellar melodic hard rock album.
“Bad Religion” builds from where the previous album left off, offering a hard rock sound heavily influenced by Rainbow, Deep Purple, ’80s Yngwie Malmsteen, Whitesnake and of course Europe, with a slight sympho edge which came from the mastermind’s Nikolo Kotzev classical training.
“Bad Religion” sees again three members of Europe in the line up of musicians, while singers Joe Lynn Turner, Göran Edman and Thomas Vikström put their own stamp on some truly amazing hard rock belters.
Opener ‘The Whole World Is Crazy’ has a classically orchestrated opening succeeded by brittle hard rock guitars, underlined by a solid percussive thump and emotive vocals (JLT on this one). It’s a formula that’s hard to break, and anyway, who would want to?
It works on the opener, and equally (if not better) on the hi-speed bpms of ‘Day Of The Eagle’, with Edman reaching for another octave. We’re guessing this one was earmarked for Glenn Hughes, who couldn’t make the gig.
Edman signs off the album with the enigmatic ‘The Empire Of The Sun’. A song within a song, a drama within a drama. A powerful piece of well crafted hard rock. It leaves us hanging.
You can’t go wrong with “Bad Religion”, top class timeless rock n’ roll.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
Tracklist:
1. The Whole World's Crazy (Joe Lynn Turner lead vocals)
2. Nightmares (Thomas Vikström lead vocals)
3. Two Of A Kind (Göran Edman lead vocals)
4. I Will Rise Again (Joe Lynn Turner lead vocals)
5. Day Of The Eagle (Göran Edman lead vocals)
6. We Don't Talk Anymore (Thomas Vikström lead vocals)
7. Wings Of A Dream (Joe Lynn Turner lead vocals)
8. Bad Religion (Göran Edman lead vocals)
9. Father To Child (Thomas Vikström lead vocals)
10. Love Is On Our Side (Joe Lynn Turner lead vocals)
11. The Empire Of The Sun (Göran Edman lead vocals)
Brazen Abbot – Bad Religion (Reissue 2024)
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