Ten!
Turmoil is a word that could well describe what life has been like in the Ten camp over the past few years. Going through several line-up changes and a self imposed exiles from the scene, Ten for many seemed to be a name that wrote glorious pages in the darkest period of Melodic Hard Rock, failing to keep the flame alive when the momentum was raising again.
Still, Ten singer and principal songwriter, Gary Hughes knew he had another ace up his sleeve and decided to play it safe. For the new and ninth album "Stormwarning" he wanted first to have the right line-up and he enlisted the services of Neil Fraser on lead guitars and Mark Sumner on bass, in addition to long-time members John Helliwell on guitar and Paul Hodson on keyboards. He then secured the masterful Mark Zonder (Fates Warning) to guest on the album taking care of the drum duties and made sure that none other than Dennis Ward (Pink Cream 69 and producer of Angra, Place Vendome, Sunstorm, Edenbridge among others) would mix and produce the album. Finally he made contact with the original designer of the "Spellbound" and "Babylon" covers, the renowned Spanish fantasy artist Luis Royo, to recreate the graphics for the new album.
At one point in the distant past, Gary Hughes was one who you could say was keeping the flame burning for melodic rock through the late 90s and noughties. Through the first three or four Ten albums they blazed a trail across Europe and beyond with their polished and overblown sound, paving the way for half decent success that bands today would still kill for.
The only thing is, as good as "Stormwarning" is, it just seems like a music by numbers effort recreating "The Name Of The Rose", "The Robe" and "Spellbound". But, thats not a bad thing, is it? Hughes is an extremely talented bloke, and, like Coverdale, he surrounds himself with excellent musicians, he is a decent master of his craft and can pan a song as well as most decent songwriters. As with the other albums already mentioned, it contains the same formulas; layers upon layers of guitar, vocals and keyboards, heavy breathing lyrics (lets face it, Hughes has never been a wailer hitting the high 'tight jean' notes) and as sugar coated as usual. Five years after their last release "The Twilight Chronicles" I was maybe expecting something different. Ten have never been anything but in the 'if it ain't broke why fix it camp'. My gripes finish there, for "Stormwarning" if you're a Ten addict, is as decent an album as ever. With Dennis Ward taking over production duties from Hughes, as you would expect, the sound is great.
Opener 'Endless Symphony' definitely has its roots in 'The Robe'. 'Book of Secrets' reminded me somewhat of 'After The Love Has Gone', from the Ten debut all those years ago. 'Stormwarning' is your typical Ten number, air guitar out, and best played loud. 'Love Song' starts with Hughes' trademarked rasp, before building tempo for its radio friendly chorus. 'The Hourglass and The Landslide' is undoubtedly, catchy as hell, and is one of the best songs Hughes has penned on "Stormwarning" and would easily grace any of the earlier Ten albums.
As stated earlier, if you're looking for something new or different, try something else. However if you're a lover of all things Hughes and Ten related, then 'Stormwarning' is an album to make you feel all tingly inside. Whilst it is definitely not their best effort, its still a decent album all the same.
I'd still prefer to see them getting off their arses and playing live sometime soon.