Radiant is a melodic hard rock band from Germany, formed in 2014, releasing their debut album ‘Radiant’ in 2018. The band’s sophomore album ‘Written By Life’ was released in 2022…
…and continues the AOR/hard rock crescendo of their 2018 self-titled debut. The new album is a concept album about the band members’ lives since they started playing music – their personal and musical adventures, milestones, and tragedies. The stories are told across eleven hard rocking songs that offer an old-school flavor, mixed with a sprinkling of modern-day touches. Bringing the album to life, ‘Nightshift’ is a bouncy and bombastic blast of melodic hard rock. Blending elements of AOR and soft rock into their root sound, Radiant borders the “stadium rock” aura with ‘Nightshift’. What a start! And what a song to follow – ‘Don’t Stop The Daydream’ featuring a much more up-tempo and uplifting feel. ‘Don’t Stop The Daydream’ is a hard-rocking swagger of high energy, overly infectious, and one hundred percent catchy. And with a chorus that an in concert crowd can heartily sing along to, Radiant is on to a definite winner with this one. And with one of the truest sentiments ever, the band march on with the majestic ‘Real Passion Will Never Die’. A heavy thumping foot stomp, ‘Real Passion Will Never Die’ is a gorgeous slice of anthemic rock – with a lyrical theme that every rock (and metal) fan will understand. For (metal and) rock is a passion that will never die – once you’re hooked, you never let go!
And the hard-rocking anthems continue – ‘Live The Adventure’ an energetic gallop of melodic rock to please the band’s army of fans. And attract new ones too – for ‘Live The Adventure’ is a wide-open radar for anyone to get caught in. The title is kinda self-explanatory, for life is an adventure, and we get out what we put in. Do what makes you happy and never stop doing it! With a major upsurge in energy, oomph, and oof, ‘Stand That Fight’ is a raucous romp of hard rock that demands you to stop what you’re doing and listen. Yes, the force is that strong – ‘Stand That Fight’ is a big, bold, and bombastic barrage of boisterous rock. With a mellower beginning, ‘Because Of You’ looks and feels like we’re heading off to ballad land. Not entirely correct, ‘Because Of You’ combines ballad nuances with hymn-like majesty to promote an atmosphere of the most epic nature ever.
And to the darkest song on offer, ‘Contagioned’ – a menacing and moody slice of rock that lacks the tasty “stadium rock” feel of everything that’s gone before. Not that it’s a bad thing – good God no.
After all, variety is the spice of life, and that’s certainly what you get here. You wouldn’t want an album where every song was the same, would you! And with a bang – raucous hard rock is back upon us with the feisty ‘Rock And Win’. Delivered at a highly energetic pace, ‘Rock And Win’ is a happy mood-inducing song that will plant smiles a mile wide on the faces of listeners. The headbang ability too is off the charts, which is a fairly unusual thing to say for a melodic rock album. But then, that is the variety of songs on offer, catering to a wide array of rock fans – and a few metal ones too!
Keeping the album thrusting in the direction of metal, ‘Dare To Fail’ is the rock equivalent of an NWOBHM sounding gallop. The energy and oomph are top-notch, the “stadium rock” feels higher than ever, and the catchy chorus is gonna be sung by literally everyone.
What a party anthem! The most majestic song on offer ‘Twice A Week’, is a perfect blend of AOR, soft, and hard rock. The highly anthemic chorus is gorgeous, with the singing a long-able nature the stuff of rabble-rousing call to arms folklore.
The album is brought to a close with the feel-good ‘Hang Around With Friends’. The maturity the band has shown from their debut four years ago has been incredible, with ‘Hang Around With Friends’ the most anthemic party anthem the album has to offer. If you’re looking for an album of “stadium rock” with a couple o’ breaks for a breather, then ‘Written By Life’ is just the ticket.
Overall, a heavy-hitting hard rocking album of melodic rock stacked full of party anthems and feel-good songs.
TRACKLIST
Nightshift
Don’t Stop The Daydream
Real Passion Will Never Die
Live The Adventure
Stand That Fight
Because Of You
Contagioned
Rock And Win
Dare To Fail
Twice A Week
Hang Around With Friends
Radiant: Facebook
Release Year: 2022
Label: Massacre Records
Category: Album
Country: Australia
Reviewed by Iron Mathew for Frenzy Fire, and Metal-Roos.
