Only three years after the good album “Good to Be Bad” (2008), Whitesnake seems to continue sailing in strong creative tides and releases its 11th studio album, “Forevermore” is in the same spirit that keeps “fresh” the old alchemical formula that after 33 years on the road still moves the band: relentless guitar riffs over generous layers of good hard rock and blues.
And on the long road of Whitesnake, always under the command of David Coverdale, there were many good and bad things, even the usually unwelcome, but steady, high turnover of its musicians may present as a positive factor, because it served and still serves to reveal to the world great talents like the guitarist John Sykes.
This new album, as it should be, the changes in the band’s line up are the departures of bassist Uriah Duff, keyboardist Timothy Drury (who have participated in the recordings Forevermore) and drummer Chris Frazier for the entry of Michael Devin (baixo) Brian Ruedy (keyboards) and Brian Tichy (drums)
Opening the works with “Steal Your Heart Away”, the band gives the impression that we are still in the second half of the 80s, a time when Whitesnake experienced for a long time the “thin air” from the top of the world, with its greatest masterpiece, the album known as “1987”, selling no less than 8 million copies worldwide and earning praise from critics and audiences.
In the same frame of mind, sail the tracks “All Out Of Luck,” “Tell Me How,” “Love Me and Treat Me Right” and “Dogs in the Street,” but after so many years, countless changes in line-up, they present fresh sounding, even when they drink from the old sources.
Merit of the competent integration of the two players who are part of the current incarnation of the band: guitarrists Doug Aldrich and Reb Beach keep the flame lit and still get excellent results in slower songs like the lovely acoustic ballad “One of These Days”, which by the way, relies on more recent works like “Into the Light” (2000) or even “Good to Be Bad.”
The music selected to be the first single, “Love Will Set You Free” has already become a music video with the participation of the son and wife of David Coverdale’s, and it’s been distributed for free by the band’s website.
But for those familiar with Whitesnake, there is the need to comment on the new ballads, something like a “house specialty”, they always have a special place in every work of the band and in the case of “Forevermore” they are “Easier Said than Done, “” Fare thee well” and “Forevermore”, each with much ability revisit a moment that was part of the universe created by the band’s long journey.
“Forevermore” is one of those epic melodies in the like’s of “Judgement Day” from the album “Slip of the Tongue” (1989), with its orchestrated base, will enter the deepest unconscious roots of the audience, evoking memories of much older classic rock and it’s the best track on the album.
Now “Fare Thee Well” revises and expands the concept of “We Wish You Well” from the album “Lovehunter” (1979), usually used by the band to thank and bid farewell to the public on the live shows, in its new version, has lyrics which might point to the more definitive farewell of retirement.
David Coverdale in recent interviews has already denied this possibility for the moment. Better for us, as we still have more chances to see Whitesnake playing around the world.
Adriana Maraviglia
@drikared
Faixas de “Forevermore”:
1.Steal Your Heart Away
2.All Out of Luck
3.Love Will Set You Free
4.Easier Said Than Done
5.Tell Me How
6.I Need You (Shine a Light)
7.One of These Days
8.Love and Treat Me Right
9.Dogs in the Street
10.Fare Thee Well
11.Whipping Boy Blues
12.My Evil Ways
13.Forevermore
Watch the video for “Love Will Set You Free”: