COP: State Of Rock

Right up front I have to admit to being a fan of Swedish AORsters Grand Illusion, so any album which features two of their number – singer Peter Sundell and his brother Christian on drums and keyboards (not at the exact same time – that would be silly...) – is pretty much assured to snag my attention. Bringing in guitarist Ola af Trampe (who also plays bass – how many hands so these guys have???) to complete the trio, the threesome have formed COP (Christian, Ola, Peter, if you hadn't noticed...) and delivered their State Of Rock.

The brothers' other band are known as an out and out AOR-fest, Peter's voice offering up glass shattering highs and earth rumbling lows and while COP are a rougher, tougher beast, there's little doubt that his unmistakable tone offers a strong, firm link between one band and the other. Here however Christian seems to have carte blanche to bring a harder edge to his percussive work, double bass drums a rollin', snare a poundin'. The unknown factor (to me at least) is af Trampe, however the guitarist proves a revelation, his rapier like riffs rip roaring from the off. This guy sure knows how to play, yet he keeps it within the song and tasteful to the max. This is a six-stringer just as likely to peel off a heart tugging solo, as he does in the ballad "Without You", as he is to steamroller over you, as he does quite superbly on "In My Dreams", a song which proves just how hard hitting melodic rock can be while still having a chorus to die for.

However where this album really comes into its own is on the tracks which fall somewhere in between, opener "Loner" an enthralling introduction which has you hooked from the start as Peter hits an ear piercing scream, before settling into that smooth, confident tone so similar to that which made Lou Gramm the mega star he once was. Not to be forgotten are the wonderful keyboards from Christian, the colour and added oomph they bring, the factor which really raises these songs to the undoubted heights they reach.

With Grand Illusion dormant for a few years now, the great news is that the brothers Sundell and af Trampe seem determined to make COP a long lasting band; album number two already in the early stages and a live band being brought together to play some shows. And all when you thought the constant stream of Swedish melodic hard rock had to dry up at some point. Not likely!

State Of Rock? Very healthy indeed if this is anything to go by!

Track Listing
1. Loner
2. I Want The World To Know
3. Nightmare
4. Without You
5. On The Run
6. In My Dreams
7. She's Gone
8. In The Night
9. Broken Heart
10. Darkness

Added: October 9th 2015
Reviewer: Steven Reid
Score:
Related Link: COP at AORHeaven
Hits: 1891
Language: english

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