TALISMAN (Jeff Scott Soto) – Humanimal [Deluxe Edition remastered] 2012

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Some time ago all the TALISMAN catalog has been reissued by a Swedish label with new artwork, newly remastered audio and previously unreleased material. We already presented most of these on this blog but a couple missing, and two that can’t be absent in your Talisman / Jeff Scott Soto collection.TALISMAN’s third studio album “Humanimal“, for many, their best.

Finding a hole in his busy schedule, in January 1994 Jeff Scott Soto joined the guys in Sweden and recorded & mixed the new album “Humanimal” at Sound Trade Studios in Stockholm, working together with studio and mixing engineer Ronny Lahti (Europe, Electric Boys).

The guys, being so pleased with the recordings (22 tracks finished) wanted to make it a double album at first, but the label refused. The “Humanimal” album was released in the Summer of ’94 and later the same year the Humanimal pt 2 was released with the outtakes from the first one.

Tracks like “Blissful Garden” and “Color My XTC” make you think, are these guys melodic rock or hard rock? Well, all in between with their trademark style. “Animal Ritual,” “Seasons” and “Fabricated War” are other standouts of the record, and again you must ask why these guys weren’t able to make a larger impact on the music scene?

Well, it was 1994, probably not the best of years for melodic hard rock, but Talisman’s kept the flame alive with their inventive technical / melodic sound establishing a considerable following in Europe and Japan.

don’t know if “Humanimal” is their best album – in my opinion all are great – but one thing for sure it’s Talisman’s most complete, varied record ever thanks to a successful combination of hard rock, heavy funk and melodic rock influences.
Their unique style has a certain groove that just lets each song flow perfectly. They always mix it up with a great balance of heaviness and ballads but the common thread between different songs and albums are Soto’s powerhouse vocals.

This Sun Hill Records remastered release is close to perfection, delivering a great balanced sound and a pristine output.
KILLER album

01 - Humanimal
02 - Fabricated War
03 - D.O.A.P.S.
04 - All + All
05 - Seasons
06 - Animal Ritual
07 - Hypocrite
08 - Colour My XTC
09 - Since You've Gone
10 - TV Reality
11 - Blissful Garden
12 - Lonely World
13 - Tainted Pages
14 - You Cannot Escape...
15 - My Best Friends Girl
16 - Dear God
17 - Delusions Of Grandeur

Jeff Scott Soto: Lead & Backing Vocals
Fredrik Akesson: Lead & Rhythm Guitars
Marcel Jacob: Bass, Rhythm Guitar
Jamie Borger: Drums, Percussion
with:
Julie Greaux: Backing Vocals
Ronny Lahti: Guitar, mix

turbo