Blog Post
Degreed - 'Are you Ready' Released : 11 February, 2022 Frontiers Music
Martin Goulden • Feb 17, 2022
Album Review
'Are you Ready' is the sixth album released from Swedish Rockers 'Degreed' and what an offering the band have served up, Eleven delights of sheer wonderment dripping in the beads of sweat from the Bosom of the Voluptuous, yet Scintillating 'Melody-Lots-Of'.
Opening with 'Into the Fire', the graceful intro and then bang, the immediate solidity of sound that greets us and accompanies the listener on their travels throughout the whole album, the catchy infectious melodies continue with 'Higher' and 'Feed the Lie', the tempo slows slightly for 'Radio', couldn't help but notice a slight nod to Avantasia's 'The Scarecrow' during the keys and guitar solos but what a tune.
Each track seems to have its own unique box of tricks just bursting out all the traits of what makes a great album even better, a blues tinged intro to title track 'Are you Ready', the thumping riffs of 'Burning', 'Falling Down' and 'Lost in Paradise' with the latter teasing an intro akin to an 80's movie theme tune, 'Turn Back', 'We Will Win' and the pop meets rock filled 'Desire' close this absolute gem of an album out.
Its the vocal power of Robin Eriksson providing the monster chops to this album, a second release from the singer in the last 6 months, with a well received solo album under the guise of Robin Red back in Sept 21, lets not forget the backbone of the band with absolute stunning results in musicianship, top drawer quality from Daniel Johansson on Guitar, Mats Eriksson on Drums and Mikael Blanc on Keys, the balance and mix of guitar & keyboards trading blows along the trail of 'Are You Ready' appear effortless, blend in some incredible vocal harmonies to enhance taste and what a result we have.
Degreed have, in 'Are You Ready' delivered a monumental album, it may be short at 40 minutes but what a Hook Filled Feast of Skandi-Rock, Melodic Marvel this 40 minutes conjures up, it will sure grip the listening tackle from the get-go and before long that play button is pushed again for another ride, so best buckle up....
Tracklist:
Into The Fire
Higher
Feed The Lie
Radio
Are You Ready
Burning
Falling Down
Lost In Paradise
Turn Back
We Will Win
Desire
Line Up
Robin Eriksson
Mats Eriksson
Mikael Blanc
Daniel Johansson
MG