Out of This World – ‘Out of This World’

When forming the remainder of the band to perform the songs he had written for the album, Marcello turned to his compatriot and long-time bassist Ken Sandin (Alien) and London-based drummer Darby Todd (The Darkness, Gary Moore), both of whom had toured and recorded with him in his solo projects. Add in a few guest appearances by none other than bona-fide keyboard wizard and Deep Purple member Don Airey and ‘Out of This World’ was starting to sound like a legitimate hard rock supergroup! After recording in Gothenburg literally before COVID-19 put the world into enforced hibernation, producer Marcello turned to renowned producer/mixer Ron Nevison (Chicago, Heart, Survivor) to mix the album and sprinkle some final fairly dust to the production, marking the first time the pair had collaborated since… wait for it… Europe’s ‘Out of This World’ album over 30 years earlier!

With a top-class vocalist, legendary guitarist, experienced rhythm section, famous guest on keyboards and a renowned mixer, it’s fair to say that everything was in place for the release of a truly brilliant melodic hard rock album! But is the album as truly ‘extra-terrestrial’ as its title suggests?

‘Out of This World’ kicks off in rather bombastic fashion with the intro to Twilight, featuring a catchy keyboard riff, guitar power chords and a quite stunning display of drumming. It’s like the opening to a West End or Broadway rock musical, where I can imagine laser lights, dry ice and denim-clad dancers would be entertaining the audience! Perhaps a nod to Marcello’s foray into the world of musicals in the Swedish version of Rock of Ages… or perhaps not?! Either way, it’s a great opening that eventually makes way for a more traditional melodic hard rock song, driven along by Ken Sandin’s bass throughout. The chorus is perky and good going with the catchy keyboard riff from the intro repeating in the background. Tommy Heart’s vocals reach the highest notes with apparent ease and when he sings “oh you feel like there’s something missing… now’s the time to do it before it’s too late”, it’s a timely instruction to us all, considering the events of the past year or so! There’s an obligatory guitar solo by Marcello midway through and a masterful keyboard solo in the outro by Don Airey, bringing this 7 minute, feel-good opener to an end. It’s a magnificent start!

Next track Hangin On begins almost immediately with Heart’s vocals on an atmospheric bed of synths/keyboards but segues into a moody, hard rock guitar riff by Marcello that continues throughout the verse. The chorus is more upbeat with some brilliant harmonising background vocals working in tandem with Heart’s lead vocals to create a real singalong vibe. Marcello’s guitar solo is built around the melody in the chorus, making for a cohesive and thoroughly enjoyable rocker that would sound great in a live setting!

With Kee Marcello being such a prolific songwriter throughout his career, it’s inevitable that a few melodies and ideas, unused from past projects, will be brought back to life for future releases. That’s pretty much the case with third track In A Million Years, with the verse and chorus originally being written for Marcello’s swan-song with Europe, 1991’s Prisoners in Paradise album. Legendary music manager Herbie Herbert loved the song but alas, band and label politics meant it was never heard or recorded… until now! It’s clear that this would have been a perfect fit for Europe in their 80s/early 90s heyday but Tommy Heart faces the challenge head-on and makes the song his own with an outstanding vocal performance that raises the question; Joey who???? Musically, it’s a mid-tempo rocker with prominent keyboards and rhythm guitar parts that are perfectly complemented by the solid rhythm section of Sandin and Todd. There’s some more impressive harmonising in the background vocals and I’d love to hear this played in a large arena with a proper choir taking on vocals in the chorus, as it would sound huge!! I have no doubt that this song would have been a hit for Marcello’s former employers if they has chosen to record it 30 years ago… but Europe’s loss is Out of This World’s gain!!

Lighting Up My Dark is heralded by a grand trumpet-sounding keyboard ditty before Darby Todd’s drumrolls and symbol crashes change the tempo to a driving melodic rock song with a huge chorus, once again made even more enjoyable by the presence of impressive background vocals. Marcello takes the opportunity to show off his legendary guitar chops with an exploration up and down the fretboard just before the solo, undoubtedly having fun himself! It’s one of those tracks that causes you to break into a huge smile as it transports you back to the 80s, when this type of music was at the peak of its power. That’s why the following track, Staring at the Sun, is the perfect foil with an almost theatrical opening that takes a surprising turn when it leads to a much moodier sounding verse with some great interplay between Marcello and Sandin. The mood picks up with the chorus; another sing-along, toe-tapper that Swedish rock bands and artists seem to excel at!

As the album passes the midway point, it’s an opportunity for Out of This World to try something a bit different in a song intro… and the beginning of Warrior certainly sounds different! As Heart menacingly says “bring it on”, Todd clicks his drumsticks in a fast rhythm as Marcello plays a bluesy little guitar riff. “I like that” growls Heart before the song bursts to life in a completely different direction with a scream worthy of Robert Plant and some fast paced drumming with what sounds like a double bass kick (although I could be corrected on this!). It’s frantic stuff and Marcello shows why he is revered in the same manner as so-called ‘technical’ guitar wizards such as Paul Gilbert, Steve Vai etc with an exceptional performance throughout. It’s an equally impressive performance by Todd on drums and I can only assume he had to dry off with a towel at the end of this performance, such is the ferocity of his drumming! This track is undoubtedly the ‘head banger’ on the album. Be warned; you may need a neck brace by the end of it!

The pace slows down ever so slightly with next track Up To You, song which starts with a slow, atmospheric mix of Tommy Heart’s flawless vocals and Marcello’s guitar with a smattering of keyboards. Combined with the “ooooh, ooooh” vocal harmonies in the background, it very much sounds as if it’s going to be a heartfelt ballad, until it bursts to life for the chorus. “I swear I’ll make it up to you. I’ll spin the world around the other way.” sings Heart… and he sounds as if he means it!! It’s more of the same with Ain’t Gonna Let You Go, albeit it’s much faster paced. Lyrically, it points to the frustrations of any relationship or friendship; “you drive me crazy, with everything you say or do. I drive you crazy, sometimes I feel that we are through”. I dare say the incredibly patient and medal-deserving Mrs Griffiths has thought this about me on many an occasion!! But like all good songs about the pitfalls of life, true love wins; “we’ve seen hard times through. Still I’m here for you. Ain’t gonna let you go”. Aw, shucks!!

Power ballads are my weakness and my guilty pleasure; the part of a melodic hard rock album I always look forward to! All good melodic hard rock records have a ballad or two at some point in the album. Traditionally, those ballads appeared around the middle of the album, or in the good old days of vinyl, the end of the Side A and/or beginning of Side B. The sugary-sweet tracks acted as a kind of buffer from the faster, harder rocking songs, giving the listener a chance to rest their ears for a few minutes… or a chance to dim the lights and turn on the charm for that special person in their life… probably also lasting no more than a few minutes. But I digress!! On ‘Out of This World’, Marcello, Heart and co try something completely different by adding the two ballad-type tracks at the end of the album. It’s an unusual move when sequencing the tracks on an album but it works perfectly. The slower and more emotional of the two ballads is penultimate track Only You Can Teach Me How To Love Again. Starting with Heart’s heartfelt vocals accompanied by Marcello’s incredibly simple but beautifully effective guitar part, the music slowly builds to the crescendo of the emotionally charged chorus. Lyrics about love and loss; check! Powerful lead and background vocals; check! Obligatory guitar solo; check! Bridge section leading to a key change; check! Yup, as power ballads go, this one has it all! It’s an epic, lighters-in-the-air ballad that will have people either reminiscing about a long-lost love or holding someone special that bit closer to them. Just remember to dim the lights…

That brings us to the final track, Not Tonight. With lyrics such as “it used to be so easy but it’s getting harder every day. I’ve got to find a way to kiss my past goodbye”, it’s undoubtedly another power ballad… but not in the same vein as the aforementioned penultimate song. This song moves along in a faster tempo with more power chords, driven along by more prominent bass, harder sounding drums and a chorus that you can sing along to loudly. Marcello’s guitar solo is understated but classy… and of course, there’s a key change! Is it even a power ballad without a key change?? It’s a track that would do well on many commercial radio stations if it had the opportunity to do so and is a perfect track to bring ‘Out of This World’ to a close.

Out of This World is an album of great depth. I had to listen to it several times before even attempting to write this review and even now, I’m still hearing something new with each listen. Often in ‘supergroup’ type scenarios, egos collide, leading to a drastic reduction in the quality of music as each musician tries to make their individual mark. This doesn’t appear to be the case in this band, with Marcello, Heart, Sandin and Todd effortlessly combining to ensure the music is the priority.

Kee Marcello is, quite frankly, a rock guitar virtuoso of immeasurable talent, yet there’s no sign of needless showboating on this record. All of his guitar work is in a different class and never overwrought; scorching solos one minute and restrained emotional playing the next. Tommy Heart’s vocals are flawless throughout, reaching the highest notes on his vocal register whilst never sounding strained or out of control. If there’s any justice in the music industry, this should be the album that brings Heart more mainstream attention and acclaim. Ken Sandin is his usual steady, reliable self; the engine pushing the music along whilst contributing his excellent voice to the backing vocals and harmonies to great effect. Indeed, the background vocal harmonies are one of the real highs on this album. In terms of playing rock music, this is in my opinion the greatest, most powerful performance in Darby Todd’s recording career. All of this is underpinned by high quality song writing, leading to an album that is very special indeed. There’s a reason it’s a Number One album in Japan!

‘Out of This World’ was originally financed via the Indiegogo fan platform, with signed CDs, limited coloured vinyl and other goodies. The campaign has now closed but I’m led to believe there’s still plenty of merchandise left by contacting the band through their social media sites. Otherwise, you’ll have to wait until later in the year when it receives wider distribution to a music shop near you and release on the usual streaming platforms. Either way, make sure you give it a listen, as it may very well be one of the finest melodic hard rock records you’ve heard in a long time.

It is indeed, Out of This World.