Perfect Plan – Time For A Miracle (Frontiers)

This is the second album by Perfect Plan, a quite splendid melodic rock band from Örnsköldsvik in Sweden, which formed in 2014 and released the fully developed and devastatingly mature debut, All Rise – an absolutely top rate melodic rock album – in 2017 – and was about as perfect as a first album could be with great songs, superb guitar and a singer operating at the very highest level. This, of course, set the mark for the band and was always going to be a tough act to follow but it is no real surprise that Perfect Plan has stepped up to the plate and delivered another sumptuous melodic rock delight.

Again, the song are supremely well written and this allows the band to fully express themselves and showcase the prodigious talents that they have within the group. They may be Swedish musicians but they are well steeped in American melodic rock and I’m sure that the casual listener would assume that this was another of the mighty fine AOR band hail from across the pond.

Perfect Plan is fronted by the amazingly talented Kent Hilli and his golden voice which is so powerful, has perfect pitch and he is just so comfortable when cranking up the power on the heavier tacks yet he has such subtlety and richness on the gorgeous ballads. Rolf Nordström again shows hi dexterity with some thrilling guitar work, Leif Ehlin’s keyboards create a rich tapestry that adds an extra level of luxury with Fredrik Forsberg on drums and bassist Mats Byström keeping up the tempo in fine fashion. Byström is the only personnel change from the debut coming in for P-O Sedin but his introduction is seamless as Time For A Miracle builds on the solid work started with the debut and the new material sees the band broadening their style as this album is a touch more powerful and heavy. If you haven’t heard the vocal work of Kent Hilli yet then prepare to be amazed at just how good he is and I will be totally surprised if he does not make it to the very top such is his talent. I said of their debut that they combine the very best of Talisman and Treat along with the giants Journey and Foreigner to create a truly remarkable and quite sensational Swedish AOR but they have now fused elements of Whitesnake giving a funkier blues edge to the music.

Time For A Miracle is a classic and timeless album from a band with the talent and drive to become major players on the AOR scene.