Proud – Second Act (AOR Heaven)

Proud is a melodic rock band that was originally formed in Landskrona in Sweden in 1982 although the roots seem to go back to 1980 and they have operated under several names including Savages, Burn and Masquerade before settling on Proud from 1984 onwards. This was the year that saw the band release the debut album, Fire Breaks At Dawn, which apparently did rather well in Japan and South America and the home market as well. For various reasons the band then just seemed to drift apart but a quick skip forward to 2019 saw the band being resurrected by two of the original musicians in Anders Magnell (lead vocals, guitar) and Roberth Horvath (bass). They then brought in Mats Christiansson (drums) with keyboards being supplied by Richard Larsson (Keyboards) but it looks like the intention is to remain as a three-piece.

Proud has now released album number two in Second Act so a mere gap between the albums of 37-years which must be pretty close to a world record. I haven’t heard Fire Breaks At Dawn but the new album shows Proud delivering a very healthy dose of up tempo hard melodic rock that the Swedes seem so good at these days. Of course, the musicians are no longer the young men they were but they have matured well and this album shows some exceptionally talented musicians.

There is a touch of Deep Purple, when in their full funk mode, about the music as well as elements of Europe and Treat plus any of the Swedish melodic rock bands you care to think of. The vocals are powerful and just with the right amount of grit to making Anders Magnell just a little dirty and dangerous and his guitar work is lightening fast with tremendous riffs and really cool solos. The album, as should be expected, is full of great hook laden songs and lot’s of vocal harmonies so the album is very easy listening and you will find yourself still remembering the songs a couple of days later.

When the band can make an album this good it makes you wonder why the broke up in the first place but they are back now and back with a melodic bang!