1 	Death Rock! 	
2 	I Was So Blind 	
3 	One More Time 	
4 	Bury The Knife 	
5 	Like A Dream 	
6 	It Really Doesen't Matter 	
7 	A While To Go 	
8 	All In Vain 	
9 	Another Kind Of Angel 	
10 	Let's Get Serious 	
11 	Toy Soldiers 	
12 	Enola Gay

Bass Guitar – Sverd
Drums – Kostas Milonas
Guitar – Jim Scordilis
Lead Guitar, Keyboards, Producer – Bob Katsionis
Vocals – Chandler Mogel

Greek/American rockers Outloud are back with album number three, good to see the guys keeping momentum flowing with short gaps between albums. And I’m pleased to say they help keep momentum going by delivering consistently good records that are thoroughly enjoyable to listen to. I wasn’t a fan of their last EP release, but the studio albums to date have all been excellent. This is no exception.

The almost Spinal Tap-influenced opening hard rocker Death Rock! would be laughable delivered by any other band, but when it’s from these guys, it just works. The double kick drum flurry and catchy chorus “we’re gonna rock you to death” is pure hard rock heaven. The album flows beautifully into the more melodic I Was So Blind, and back to the more urgent One More Time – both songs delving choruses that can’t be ignored. The moody Bury The Knife offers another side of the band, the passive aggressive track turning outwardly aggressive towards the end, very cool.

And so it continues. Most of the album presents as uptempo melodic rock mixing with hard rock, but always there’s a melody, a guitar solo and a chorus. Things only slow down for the acoustic ballad It Really Doesn’t Matter, but then it’s straight back into the uptempo anthemic (and quite awesome) Another Kind of Angel.

Other highlights include the fast moving A While To Go and the furious but melodic Toy Soldiers (featuring guitar god Mike Orlando of Adrenaline Mob). And to close, the band throws in a rocked up and stylized cover of OMD’s Enola Gay. It suits the band and it fits the album. Nicely done. ---melodicrock.com

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1. We Came To Rock 03:47
2. Falling Rain 03:31
3. Live Again 03:57
4. Waiting For Your Love 04:11
5. The Night That Never Ends 04:10
6. Someday 04:34					play
7. Underground 04:07
8. Isolation Game 04:41
9. Clean Hands 03:36				play
10. Love Catastrophe 05:09

Musicians:
Chandler Mogel - Vocals
Bob Katsionis - Guitars, Keyboards
Tony Kash - Guitars
Sverd T. Soth - Bass
Mark Cross - Drums

Here’s the second album by the Greek hard rockers OUTLOUD; when their first CD was released back in 2009 I thought it was some kind of an one-off project, since especially keyboardist Bob Katsionis and drummer Mark Cross were loaded with obligations for FIREWIND and enough other projects. Still, the notable success of “Outloud” may have resulted in the solidification of the band’s scope for melodic powerful Hard Rock music, which is confirmed now with the latest release of “Love Catastrophe”.

If evolution and improvement is primarily witnessed by judging on two continuous efforts, then “Love Catastrophe” looks like it’s a winner. The production is more fat and arena-orientated while the band shows they’ve confirmed their chemistry in this album, with the instrumentation showing no exaggeration but focusing on bringing the songs and melodies themselves in the foreground. One thing to worry, on the other hand, would be the lack of personal identity at least to some extend. The vast majority of melodies and themes in the album look like they’re some kinda rip-offs from other songs off this genre from the past. It’s a hard task to be revolutionary, let’s admit it, but honestly there were times I caught my mind thinking “this part sounds like this” or “that lead reminds me of that”...

Mogel’s voice sounds improved in this second album. Knowing him from his deeds with US melodic rockers TALON some years ago I was pleased to see him in the OUTLOUD lineup two years ago, and I think his throat fits even better in the style of the songs in “Love Catastrophe”. He brings some special kind of feeling in the song-making and adds a lot in the general atmosphere. The same goes for the keyboards work while the guitar leads are fitting like a glove in the specific style.

“Love Catastrophe” is the kind of album you’ll spend good time with, if being a fan of powerful melodic Hard Rock with a slice of more ‘fresh’ elements. Not being a milestone but also not credited as a bad album, this second OUTLOUD CD adds what probably the Greek band needs: the preservation of and little boost in the band’s fame. You may not remember at times it’s added in your CD collection, but if you finally spot it some spinning will add pleasure. --- metalkaoz.com

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