Label: earMUSIC
Review by Tony Cannella
The much anticipated debut solo album from Anette Olzon is finally here. Of course Anette was previously the lead singer for a little band called Nightwish for two albums and prior to that she fronted the AOR band Alyson Avenue. She started working on this solo album while she was a member of Nightwish, so it has been several years in the making. Not knowing what to expect, I was quite excited when this album came my way having been a fan of her work with Nightwish and Alyson Avenue. Would she continue the musical path set forth by Nightwish or revisit her AOR roots ala Alyson Avenue? The answer is neither. On her debut album “Shine”, Anette Olzon presents a more organic, earthy musical direction.
“Like a Show Inside My Head” is first on the agenda and has a classical, symphonic vibe. Next up is the poppish “Shine” which is followed by the haunting “Floating”. The album picks up the pace and tempo for the track “Lies”. Other highlights include: “Invincible”, “Hear Me” and “Watching Me From Afar” to name a few.
I wouldn’t really call “Shine” a metal record but it does have energy and passion, it’s just focused in a different direction. Say what you want about Anette Olzon (and people will), but you have to give her credit for doing something different from what fans may expect, and still making it good and a worthwhile listen. And besides that, she’s got a killer voice and that is absolutely reinforced on “Shine”.
Rating – 88/100
Tracklist
- Like A Show Inside My Head
- Shine
- Floating
- Lies
- Invincible
- Hear Me
- Falling
- Moving Away
- One Million Faces
- Watching Me From Afar