VELVET THUNDER

Escape is a British melodic rock band which formed in 2011 with the members located in the Black Country (the traditional manufacturing heart of the UK based around Dudley and Tipton) and West Yorkshire. They produced two fine hard yet melodic rock albums before the band went into hibernation mainly because of the logistical difficulties of the band being located in two distinct regions of the UK. The band leader and guitarist, Vince O’Regan, eventually decided to resurrect the band last year with what is, to all extent and purposes, a brand new band. Fire In The Sky is their new album put together during lockdown with the musicians recording all of their parts at home with the new team being Graham Beales on vocals, Vince O’Regan on guitar, Irvin Parratt on keyboards, Pete Betts on bass and Bob Pears on drums.

To say that this is a new album is not exactly true as it is made up of old material some of which goes back over 30-years. Much of the material featured on the album is taken from the band’s two earlier albums and O’Regan’s solo work but have been re-recorded or ‘re-imagined’ according to the band statement to take advantage of the new band members skills and also to use the latest studio techniques to breathe new life into the material. They have recorded new vocals, drums and bass with other parts being subject to an exhaustive remixing and remastering process. Vince O’Regan is a class act as a guitarist and has a wealth of credits to his name having appeared on around 45 albums including Legion, Arabia and he also has a strong Magnum relationship having been Bob Catley’s touring guitarist for many years and also appearing on his and Paul Hodson’s solo albums.

Indeed, a couple of tracks on this release, Blinded By A Lie and Walk On Water, appear courtesy of Bob Catley having been written by O’Regan and appearing on his Spirit Of Man album. You may expect that the album would have a disjointed feel given that the material has been pulled from various sources but it isn’t at all and that shows just how much work that has gone into turning this into a ‘new’ album that sounds so together and organic. It is typical British melodic rock with many of the tracks verging on the heavier side but all are hook laden and have the usual melodic sound that you would expect. Fire In The Sky is part Journey, part Bob Catley and wholly Vince O’Regan and Escape and is a melodic/AOR delight. It is also a fine appetiser for what is to come as the band are working on a brand new album and if it is anything like this then it is going to be a melodic masterpiece.