THE BIG DEAL
Electrified
Frontiers Music s.r.l.

When a band’s opening track isn’t particularly strong, one does worry about the rest of the record. Such is the case with THE BIG DEAL, the Serbian quintet whose album we are discussing here. But then again, melodic hard rock is such a broad church that there is plenty of variation across the genre and with “Electrified”, THE BIG DEAL certainly pours everything into the 12 tracks that they present, and thankfully, there are better songs to discover as the album progresses.

That opening track is called “Survivor”, and it starts well, with a chunky riff and a catchy chorus that you’ll be humming along to after a couple of plays. My problem? It’s just a bit lacklustre in terms of grabbing you hard and pulling you in. Yes, it’s neatly delivered, following a pattern of songwriting that is rather standard. Some classic interplay between Nevena Brankovic’s keys and Srdjan Brankovic‘s guitar leads works, whilst you are also introduced to singer Ana Nikolic who can give a fine performance.

The interplay between Nevena and Srdjan is a consistent highlight across the album, both being expert musicians. And there is nothing to be critical about when you listen to the tight rhythm section of Marko Milojevic and Nikola Mijic. The drummer and bassist respectively put in a steady and complete shift.

The band’s live credentials are impressive, with performances on The KISS Kruise and at Rock Imperium Festival in Spain amongst others. Alongside the two Brankovic’s, there is a tag team vocal approach, with Nevena and Ana providing some glorious harmonies. Check out “Fairy Of White”, a song that you’d not be surprised to hear in the catalogue of the likes of Nightwish. A gothic edge to it, it stands out early against some of their more radio friendly tracks. Not that “Fairy Of White” isn’t radio friendly, oh no, everything here is suitable for that crucial airplay.

Srdjan’s guitar work is at times sublime, but for all the flashes and flicks, it’s a little lost on amongst the verse, chorus, verse, chorus style that dominates here. “Broken Wings”, “Burning Up” and the keyboard pomp of “They Defied” are all solid with a polished finish. They just don’t snatch your collar, turn your head to the front and hold the attention in a way some bands do. Don’t get me wrong. This is far from drivel. Carefully crafted, there is still the odd surprise, but they are buried a little too deep. The complete change of dynamism and tempo in the middle of “They Defied” is spectacular, with the Oriental flourish that appears from nowhere the first real ‘whooaaa’ moment. Otherwise, there are too many which drifts into Eurovision territory, both in style and substance. You can see these songs being cheered to the rafters in the annual competition.

The album does finish strongly, with the excellent penultimate track “Break Down The Walls” probably my favourite here. It’s an up-tempo song, with more superb musicianship, glorious melodies and another infectious hook in the refrain. “Electrified” is completed by “Dare To Dream”, a sonic anthem with dark undertones, and one that sees Ana and Nevana bring their vocals together one last time. Combined with another solid riff, it’s a decent finale.

Does “Electrified” have enough about it to stand out from the herd? Well, that’s my biggest challenge here, for although the musicianship is of the highest quality, the songs are often a little generic. Part of that is possibly due to the genre, which is one of the most saturated around and I’ll admit it’s not one I spend a lot of time deep within. So, taken on face value, which I must, it’s good but not excellent. However, should melodic hard rock be your bag, then THE BIG DEAL’s second album may well be one for you.

Paul Hutchings