When an album strikes a nerve in you and sticks with you, that album is what I consider an album that did what it intended to do. What I mean by this is that with music being the ultimate form of art (In My Opinion), there is a part of its greatness that lies in the deepest part of our soul and that is human emotion. Only music has the ability to create that emotion so deeply and so profoundly that it stays with us forever. A thought, a smile, reminds us of that great chorus that we heard yesterday or so many years ago that just makes our mood change. When I think of when I first heard Remedy’s new Album, “Pleasure Beats The Pain,” this is the emotion that I felt. My mood
instantly changed and that change was to a deep smile as this album is truly in the wheelhouse of melodic hard rock brilliance.
From the onset, track one, “Crying Heart,” brings that powerful, driving chorus that ignites the listener to pay attention as this journey is well worth the invitation. With smooth flowing melody and vibrant punch, this song is the mark of everything that this album is all about; power meets melody meets feeling. With the next track, “Moon Has The Night,” the band brings the classic 80’s, pop vibe with the keys and even a saxophone sprinkled in. The mix is perfectly injected with the Euro, melodic rock that just seems to manifest incredible power rock hits. With the mix and mastering done by Erik Martensson (Eclipse) at Mass Destruction Production, there is the signature sound that just sears itself across all 10 tracks.
Kicking in with tracks 3 and 4 are “Sin For Me” which opens with a heavy crunch that glides into a catchy riff, then transitions into a driving mid-tempo power-rocker; followed up with the very radio friendly hit, “Angelina.” A poppy rocker that brings the diversity of melody meets commercial and does it with a swagger.
Track 5, “Bad Blood” is one of the standouts among so many on this album. Opening with the eloquent, Mike Trampesque vocals of Robert Van der Zwan (Vocals, guitars), then easing into and ripping into the bridge, then
chorus “Now There’s Bad Blood, and I’m in for action…,” just oozes hands in the air in a huge arena. This is how melodic hard rock is done right, with all of the elements and a nice sing-a-long chorus to finish it all up.
Through the listen and with so much to love, Track 6 “Caught By Death” rolls in like a tidal wave. With a flow that is as easy as a smooth glass of bourbon, foot tapping, powerful and driving, this one has my ears feeling that they need to go back and listen again, which you will feel throughout each track on this album. The track also contains some very nice guitar fills by Rolli, injected precisely in all of the right places among the chants “You’ll Be Caught By Death.”
I find myself fully taken into the world of this album as Remedy has brought the goods that simply invite the listener into pure magic.
The journey just keeps the steady pace of melody and groove as Track 7, “Hearts On Fire” has the great melodic vibe with the massive chorus that defines this band and Track 8, “Poison,” has the groove with the Dokken-Style guitar intro, change of pace mid-section and crunch that drives so recklessly, yet under full control.
With 8 tracks, this album just has winner stamped all over it, but then, as if the band needed to add more candy to the basket, Track 9, “Girls Got Trouble,” cements the deal with the wide-open chorus that keeps you singing it throughout the night. This is a full-on rocker that keeps delivering punch after punch.
With every great album, there is an end and with this one, the final track, “Something They Call
Love,” puts the bow on a melodic hard rock treasure. The track gives me the feel of White Lion’s “When The Children Cry,” as Van der Zwan delivers another fabulous vocal over the dark and moody, lullaby of acoustic guitar and strings
that is just pure magnificence.
In the end, Excellence with the choruses and melodies is what Guitarist and Writer, Rolli Forsman describes: “With a balance of light and dark, day and night, pleasure and pain, love and hate, our music mirrors life’s complexities, melding melodic rock & metal into a harmonious blend.” A perfect way to put all of this into what this albums truly gives all the way thru.
I have been listening, reviewing and interviewing melodic hard rock albums and artists for many years now and I have to say that Remedy’s “Pleasure Beats The Pain” is one of the finest, melodic hard rock albums that I have heard. In only a few years of existence, the band has written an album that 15 year veterans can only wish upon. This is the best melodic rock album of 2024 so far and will be when the year ends. The songs are tight, melodies are exponential and this band is going to be Sweden’s next big breakout. If you want an album that has everything that 80’s pop and hard rock brought with a massive injection of modern rock groove and production, “Pleasure Beats The Pain” is the definitive.
Remedy is:
Robert Van der Zwan – Vocals, guitars
Roland Forsman – Guitars, backing vocals
Jonas Dicklo – Bass, backing vocals
Fredrik Karlberg – Drums
Jonas Öijvall – Keyboards
Visit Remedy:
facebook.com/Remedymusicsweden
instagram.com/remedymusicsweden
Band contact/ booking:
management@remedymusicsweden.com
Escape music:
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