Landfall is a hard rock band from Brazil, releasing their debut album ‘The Turning Point’ in 2020 and sophomore album ‘Elevate’ in 2022.
The hard rocking hard rockers from Curitiba are back – and with an almighty bang! Just two years after the band’s incredible debut, Landfall return to hit, punch and kick harder than ever, ‘Elevate’ an eleven-song strong stunner! Melodic hard rock has never sounded so good – ‘Never Surrender’ launching the album in invigorating fashion, Landfall the proverbial “exception to the rule”! For Brazil is widely recognised for its reputation for producing extreme thrash metal music! But in the mighty shape of Landfall, we have a hard rock band bucking that trend. ‘Never Surrender’ is a fast-paced and energetic gallop to get behind and head nod, feet tap, raise fists in the air, or do whatever it is you do to salute a corker of a song! With such an electrifying opening – where do you go from here?
Upwards is where – the band pulsates with energy and oomph as ‘Two Strangers’ hits even harder than ‘Never Surrender’. Blending the joyful feel of AOR into the band’s hard-rocking roots, Landfall has delivered a spectacular opening double salvo.
What a breathless duo the first two songs were – the band not taking their finger of the pulse, marching ahead with ‘Waterfall’ displaying a major soft rock feel, yet losing none of the AOR influence of the previous song! Simply incredible – and as regular readers already know, I am a metalhead at heart, yet also have an affection for rock – Landfall appeals hugely to my rockier side. The band strides on with ‘Rescue Me’, leaning towards ballad country as it smoothly glides on by. Remaining just a tad too heavy to be a full-blown ballad, ‘Rescue Me’ is a cracking mix of AOR and soft rock – the band showing a much softer side to their sound. Keeping in the same vein as ‘Rescue Me’, ‘Heroes Are Forever’ falls further into the balladry, creating a sway from side to side feels, encouraging listeners to raise lighters high in the air. Bloody great stuff from the Brazilian rockers.
And at the halfway point of the album, the infectious level has been incredibly high. It shows no sign of dipping either – especially as the title song ‘Elevate’ elevates the level to new heights! The band delivers instantly likeable hard rock that’ll live long in the memories of rockers – and metalheads – all around the world.
Landfall‘s debut album was an incredible start to the band’s career, their sophomore album raising the bar and planting them firmly in front of a worldwide audience. And looking out the window while writing this review at a layer of snow on the ground and shivering to minus degree temperatures – the band brighten a dismal day with ‘Feels Like Summer’. And boy, do I wish it did! ‘Feels Like Summer’ is a driving anthem, a song to play loud while cruising the countryside on a hot summer’s day. I simply can’t wait for summer to come and get out there – with ‘Feels Like Summer’ blasting out my car stereo. And with an incredible tension fuelled intro, ‘H.O.P.E.’ builds to a thundering hard rocking romp – the band unrelenting in their energy-driven rock style.
The attractiveness of Landfall‘s debut, ‘The Turning Point’ turned me on to the band’s music, and I have been a fan ever since. So it surely doesn’t come as a surprise that I love ‘Elevate’ (the album), the band storming on with the heavy-hitting ‘Shadows Of Love’. Featuring a pace akin to the (album’s) incredible opening double, ‘Shadows Of Love’ is a hard-hitting rock stampede guaranteed to brighten anyone’s day! It’s definitely brightened mine – even more so because ‘Feels Like Summer’ was the first to brighten my day! And with two songs still to come, I have an insanely wide smile on my face – a smile that ain’t disappear anytime soon! The band falls fully into ballad country with ‘The Wind’, and a glorious soft warmth that will again have listeners swaying and holding lighters high in the air. And to be honest, on reflection, methinks the ballads on offer here will stand shoulder to shoulder with the likes of Bon Jovi, Journey and White Lion. White Lion! Remember them? Cracking rock band from America, prominent during the eighties, fronted by Danish singer/guitarist Mike Tramp – and he’s still performing today!
Anyway, back to Landfall, and my review of ‘Elevate’ (the album), which ends with an unbroken streak of melodious magnetism with the pulsating ‘Chance To Destiny’ – an up-tempo and punchy slab of infectious hard rock.
Overall, a hard rocking hard rock album of immense infectiousness and melodious intent – ‘Elevate’ is a corker.
TRACKLIST
Never Surrender
Two Strangers
Waterfall
Rescue Me
Heroes Are Forever
Elevate
Feels Like Summer
H.O.P.E.
Shadows Of Love
The Wind
Chance To Destiny
Landfall: Facebook
Release Year: 2022
Label: Frontiers Music s.r.l.
Category: Album
Country: Brazil
Reviewed by Iron Mathew for Frenzy Fire and Metal-Roos.
