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░ ██ ██ Artist: Dare ██ ██
▓ █░░ ■█ Album: Sacred Ground █■ ░░█
■ █▓▀ █ Year: 2016 █ ▀▓█ ░
█ ▓ Rel. Date: 2017-01-03 ▓ █
▒ ▒ Genre: Hard Rock ▒ ▒
█▄ ░ Label: Legend Records ░ ▄█
░ █▄ ░ Source: CD ░ ▄█
░ █▓ Type: Album ▓█ ░
▓ █ Quality: VBR, 44.1kHz, Joint Stereo █ ░ ▓
▓ █ █ ░ ▓
▄ ■ ■ ▓ ■
░█ █░ ▀
█ The Celtic AOR legend that is Dare rides again! █
█ Darren WhartonÆs majestic band return with studio █
█ album number 7, Sacred Ground, their first set of █
█ new material in 7 long years. █
█ ThereÆs always a lot riding on a Dare release, as █
█ they arenÆt the fastest band around when it comes █
█ to delivering new albums. And speaking frankly, █
█ the two albums preceding this û Arc Of The Dawn █
█ and Beneath The Shining Water û while offering a █
█ taste of what we all love about this band, still █
█ managed to come up a little short when thinking █
█ back to the bandÆs unsurpassable classic debut Out █
█ Of The Silence. That album remains an iconic █
█ release and one of the best AOR albums of all █
█ time. █
█ So what does Dare 2016 mean for fans? Well, the █
█ return of the masterful Vinny Burns on guitar is █
█ certainly a stroke of brilliance. And he makes his █
█ presence immediately known, with Sacred Ground █
█ awash with precision soloing and a stronger guitar █
█ footprint than the last few albums. █
█ While the tempo remains circumspect, VinnyÆs █
█ guitar takes the songs to the next level, █
█ delivering the rock edge that fans have wanted. █
█ Yes, tempo is far more æupÆ than recent work and █
█ like past Dare albums, it does take several █
█ listens to get to know the tunes. The similar █
█ pacing makes it a little harder to separate the █
█ songs initially, but as always with Dare, it is █
█ all about mood. And no one does mood better than █
█ Darren Wharton and Vinny Burns. █
█ And I have to say, I have a huge appreciation for █
█ DarrenÆs vocals. He IS British AOR for me. █
█ In essence, this is a wonderful album that takes a █
█ step back from the Celtic influences of recent █
█ times and a huge step back towards straight ahead █
█ moody AOR, with songs that could quite comfortably █
█ fit on Calm Before The Storm and even a few that █
█ wouldnÆt be out of place on Out Of The Silence. █
█ There are no fillers here û 11 great tracks of █
█ keyboard and guitar framed music û but there are a █
█ few tracks IÆd especially like to single out. █
█ The opening number Home is everything I love about █
█ Dare. Strength is a nice mid-tempo AOR track with █
█ some sublime playing from Vinny Burns and another █
█ killer vocal from Darren. █
█ Days Of Summer is the most rocking thing I have █
█ heard from Dare since the band returned in 1998. █
█ The almost æhappyÆ On My Own features a good pace █
█ and another shining guitar solo. █
█ All Our Brass Was Gold is a really nice mid-tempo █
█ ballad with orchestration lurking in the █
█ background. █
█ Like The First Time is another schooling on how to █
█ do mood and melody together and the closer Along █
█ The Heather is classic Celtic Dare, but in a more █
█ uptempo wrapper. █
█ WhatÆs not to like? This is a great comeback for █
█ the band and a most refreshing welcome home for █
█ Vinny Burns, who adds immeasurable class and power █
█ to these songs. █
█ And major props to Darren Wharton for the flawless █
█ production and crystal clear mix on Sacred Ground. █
█ There are many many layers to this album and such █
█ a great production is what makes it fun to █
█ discover each one. █
▓ ▓
▒ ▒
░ 1. Home 4:44 ░
░ 2. I'll Hear You Pray 4:20 ░
░ 3. Strength 4:16 ░
░ 4. Every Time We Say Goodbye 4:01 ░
░ 5. Days of Summer 3:44 ░
░ 6. On My Own 3:15 ░
░ 7. Until 3:58 ░
░ 8. All Our Brass Was Gold 3:48 ░
░ 9. You Carried Me 4:11 ░
░ 10. Like the First Time 4:18 ░
░ 11. Along the Heather 4:01 ░
░ 44:36 ░
░ ▒ ▒
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