Jornamarre ... (2,5 / 5)

A chronicle of Traveller Jorn now, at the beginning of September, when the album was released in June ... But why? You want the truth? Well it's very simple: nobody in our team really wanted to stick to it. Long time offered us this cake but we kindly left gathering dust in the summer and have preferred to devote ourselves to more challenging projects. It's a bit sad, is not it? We still talk about Jorn Lande there, one of the greatest hard rock singers on the planet, right? Yes, but whose fault is it? Because at the base, I loved Jorn Lande me! When I discovered there was almost fifteen years ago, with Mundanus Imperium and with excellent Ark group, I was immediately hooked. The parenthesis Beyond Twilight (with The Devil's Hall Of Fame), the album solo Worldchanger and, to a lesser extent, the first steps of Masterplan have only intensified my interest in this extraordinary vocalist. In four or five years, I became a fan and expect each new release with haste. There was the body of the Nordic overkill for sure, but the music was more powerful, varied, surprising, sometimes magical ... Can we say the same of the last solo deliveries sir? Certainly, the voice remains but what about music? And then there is the omnipresent problem. By trying out a new disc (either an "original" album, a disc again, or a best of re-recordings of symphonic sauce) every six months, Jorn really grown tired much of the chroniclers of this site. And here we are today with the Traveller that I finally agreed to listen, because after all "you never know". Except that if there is the same when a little known ... at least we suspected.

No, Traveller's not bad. It only confirms what we have understood for some time, namely that Jorn merely align albums of hard / heavy traditional friendly but not transcendent, and in any case not up for a vote like his. Hence the persistent sense of waste in recent years. It's frustrating. Attention, it is not about to get off the album flame or say whatever pretext that is tired of seeing Lande torpedo his career. There are good times in the Traveller. But we want a little more spark, surprises and emotion. Instead, it was a fairly predictable drive, one more in line with what the singer serves us for some time. It's good product, you can listen the song is still as stunning and the musicians are not penguins, but it is all up with enough mundane compos service that hardly ever arouse enthusiasm (the real one which gives chills or want to listen to a song once it is completed to prolong the pleasure). Please be aware that the purpose is heavier than hard, dark enough, and often reminds Dio, sometimes too (Cancer Demon, okay it's probably wanted this compo probably evoking the fight of legendary singer against the disease that the took) or Black Sabbath (The Black Carry, which is not bad, although a bit long, and has a small keyboard to originality with mournful sounds mimicking those of a musical saw). The arrival of a new guitarist (Trond Holter Wig Wam) obviously gifted, does not change much to the situation, it remains in court (very) experienced. In short, there are good songs catchy enough (Window Maker, Legend Man) ... nothing to be ashamed of, but nothing transcendent either. The recurring problem is that some compounds pass and suddenly I realize that I have not really noticed or retained the chorus, then I listen and say "ah ok, that was it ...".

Here, Traveller, is a routine that has not Jorn air and decided to ask question himself. If some songs are really not unpleasant and real qualities are audible (big sound, nice melodies, good riffs, powerful vocals), the set is not very varied and I find myself still indifferent to me this album a bit monotonous, heard and shot along the way. So I know that this is going to sound terribly pretentious or moved but it seems to me that Mr. Lande of the investment on his latest works is perfectible. Felt autopilot, prey to a real lack of ambition ... and when you replay the albums that this singer was there ten years of that, there is no photo, c 'was still something else. When will you wake up? The big leap? Promised on the day it happens, it alerts you.

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