Styx- "Crash of the crown"

 

Pomp AOR, melodic rock,FM rock, classical influenced rock, commercially oriented rock, you name it , STYX deliver it with spades and in the highest quality and their new album is a fine example of real professionals offering a Covid 19 anti depression album. "The fight of our lives" is a Covid 19 anthem, pro vaccination obviously and,yes, pomp rock bands like STYX show the way on the contrary with "artists' like Van Morisson and Clapton who prefer the middle ages. Melody, keyboards, grandiose choruses and a tight band that creates modern rock songs like "Hold back the darkness" keeping the STYX sensibility intact even in the 21st century. The elements of the great stadium rock wotia touch of progressive rock are all here, the PINK FLOYD reminiscent echo and the lyrics that always differentiate STYX from their rivals. Reggae overtones at "Crash of the crown" along some yacht rock piano and classic STYX harmonies are driving the fans crazy as the band is in prime form and the QUEEN style vocals take off the song to another dimension. "Common ground" is another piece of multi layer vocal harmonies and QUEEN influenced prog pop song. 

 

 

 

 

STYX deliver a melodic rock album full of bombastic rhythms and tons of multilayered vocal lines creating a melodic monster that is equally Arena rock as prog with overtones of the WHO (Quadrophenia era) all around."Long live the king" stays in your mind with its addictive melodic line. This is a STYX album that respects the band's history and has all the basic ingredients,melodies, multilayered vocals, progressive aesthetic,catchy songs and uplifting spirit in its own STYX way, bringing elements from reggae to jazz and swing at the musical part of certain songs like "Stream" proving STYX are a band that are really progressive ,even if they have been labeled as AOR or pomp rock. An album delivering all the goods.

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