Love Never Dies

English translation of the original Italian review.

An interesting blend, Brave Hearts Factory’s. The band’s background is clear: their sound brings together echoes of 80s new wave (U2, Simple Minds), AOR, Pink Floyd-style stoner psychedelia and 90s alternative rock. The singer ranges widely in style too, adapting perfectly to the different moments, which are genuinely hard to pin down, so rich is the mix of styles. Something very original emerges, yet deeply melodic.

Unusual as the blend may be, the songs are there and they are well structured. Perhaps it lacks a little cohesion: at times the different members of the band seem to head in different directions, as in some prog. Still, this is clearly a deliberate choice, and it doesn’t compromise how catchy the songs are. The electronic touches make the whole thing even more distinctive. There is definitely a strong sonic impact, but there is no shortage of more relaxed moments, always well measured in a mix of tension and release.

It opens with “Overture Among The Stars”, which immediately makes the band’s intentions clear. It is the most eclectic track, but also the most interesting on the album: you can see an evolution compared with similar tracks such as “How Do You Dare To Love Me” and “Here Remains The Flame”, where the U2 influence is very strong. Here, though, the psychedelic sounds make it more fascinating, and the voice (closer to Dream Theater’s singer than to Bono) adds a further touch of elegance.

Then come the more electronic tracks, “Don’t Run Away” and “Emanuel”, where the same style that shaped new wave was transformed in the 90s to set an example for “future generations”. The splendid ballads follow: “Dreams Always Die At Dawn”, almost an AOR tribute to early Iron Maiden; the very sweet and very sad “End In Winter”, which would not look out of place in Hoobastank’s repertoire; and “Another Night Without You”, which in MTV’s golden days would have been on daily rotation.

It closes with the most modern tracks: “The Truth In Your Eyes”, with an almost grunge (or post-grunge) sound, and above all “No Hope For New Warlords”, which, despite its opening funky riff, soon turns into a heavily distorted and energetic song, with a spine-tingling chorus that shows off the singer’s extraordinary potential. In my opinion, this could be the real road for Brave Hearts Factory to follow.

All in all, this is an original revival mix, which would need a second full-length to be able to say it has created a new genre.