]]> http://www.sahararain.com/photos-stahlwerk-24-3-2012/feed/ 0 http://www.sahararain.com/live-gig-sahara-rain-24-3-2012-stahlwerk/ http://www.sahararain.com/live-gig-sahara-rain-24-3-2012-stahlwerk/#comments Wed, 07 Mar 2012 21:04:44 +0000 Steph http://www.sahararain.com/?p=299 SAHARA RAIN

live in Concert:   Concerts

by Nikiforos Skoumas
Staff Writer –

Already counting album number two are Switzerland’s Sahara Rain with their brand new release simply titledEternity. Sahara Rain’s debut Sand in Your Eyes was released in 2009, bridging to front a melodic hard rock combo directly influenced by Gotthard and Shakra.

Yet, even at that time, one felt there was more than meets the ear with this Swiss quartet. You see despite the thick and simplified guitar riffs, Sahara Rain brought forward rather challenging song structures and pretty unique-not to mention lengthy-choruses. So the attentive listener would be able to tell that despite the ‘Gotthard’ tag, which many love to attach to this group, Sahara Rain is an AOR band at heart.

Their second album Eternity does justice to anyone able to trace the adult orientation behind their hard rock, since their second album is precisely that, a guilty slice of AOR/melodic rock. For starters, the use of keyboards has been increased dramatically. Piano sounds coat the majority of Eternity reinforcing the melodic aspects of the album while adding class to the overall songwriting. In addition the use of rhythm guitars has become more economical while still featuring thick-but more refined-opening riffs.

Of course there is always the voice of front man Ricci Domenicco who bares a similar sound and style to Gotthard’s Steve Lee and for that one suspects that the comparisons and labels will not cease any time soon. Still taking the adult oriented path has substantially differentiated Sahara Rain from the majority of the Swiss-Danish melodic hard rock scene.

It has to be perfectly clear that going AOR, definitely takes nothing away from the intensity and attack that admirers found on Sahara Rain’s debut; on the contrary, their new approach reinforces their songwriting while granting depth and transparency to the melodies and instrumentation of Eternity.

The more one plays songs like “Forever Young,” “Will I Ever Be,” “Holly Warrior,” “Love Me Loud” and “Shout It Out” the more one feels that this album is filled with potential melodic rock classics, not to mention the air-play potential of Eternity’s entire track list.

Unexpected but remarkable an album Eternity is. In a few years time it might as well appear that eight and a half out of ten is too little a grade to match the quality and substance ofEternity. One simply can’t recommend enough Sahara Rain’s new album to any fan of the genre.

Genre: AOR, Melodic Rock

Line up:
Ricci Domenico – Vocals
Adrian Honegger – Guitars
Boet de Haas – Bass
Bo Rebsamen – Keyboards
Levent Sunu – Drums

Track List:
1. Heavy times
2. Forever young
3. Will I ever be
4. Miss you
5. Holy Warrior
6. Love me loud*
7. Shout it out
8. Dreams die young
9. Starlight
10. Live earth
11. Since you’ve been gone

Label: SR-Records

Web: http://www.sahararain.com/

Hardrock Haven rating: 8.5/10

SAHARA RAIN – “Eternity”
SR Records 2011
Music: Hard Rock/Glam Metal
Website: www.sahararain.com
Duration: 47 minutes (11 songs)
Country: Switzerland

I know Switzerland a bit from my visits to this country but I know few local bands. I don’t think about Swiss famous bands on the world obviously but I mean about less-known bands – at least in my country. Some day I received the second album of SAHARA RAIN… I completely didn’t connect the name of band with this country, but it is not important…

The music from “Eternity” sounds very pleasantly. The music is very mature, spatial, oscillating among Hard Rock and Glam Metal. I know this kind of rock music briefly, though in a past I listened some bands… Therefore the music of SAHARA RAIN reminded me DEF LEPPARD, BON JOVI, EUROPE, ALICE COOPER or WHITE LION. And therefore “Eternity” is Rock made thoughtfully, very melodious and simultaneously somewhat sharp with nice keys and catchy refrains.

The tracks emit melancholy, gentle darkness and often balladic tunes. Though the stronger hits and heavier serves also are typical for SAHARA RAIN besides the interesting acoustic passages, solos and the melodious hoarse singings which are enriched by backing singers. Here is audible that the members of SAHARA RAIN well know their profession and they sometimes underline it in masterly serves as well as in the curious complex keys. These keys perform here important part deepening a mood and even sometimes the keys play leading part.

I remember that bands of this type created excellent ballads and SAHARA RAIN also presents many such musical moments – melancholy and romantic but they don’t forget that the rock music has to be impulsive and energetic.

Reviews de CD’s: SAHARA RAIN – “Sand In Your Hands”
SAHARA RAIN
“Sand In Your Hands”

No hay nada (NADA) que sea mejor que el primer tema de un disco del cual no sabes nada, te vuele la cabeza. Eso te da la paciencia para soportar todo lo que venga después si no es lo que esperas. Este tipo de cosas no siempre sucede en mí, que recibo miles de cosas que ni idea de lo que puede contener.
Este es el caso del flamante disco de la banda suiza Sahara Rain “Arena En Tus Manos”, el cual tuvo salida a finales del 2008.
Qué es lo que propone “Sand In Your Hands”? Un hard rock bien melódico, con excelente vocalización y coros, estos últimos a cargo del ex vocalista de Bonfire, Michael Bormann y Ricci, vocalista de SR.
El disquito arranca con el mazazo de “Feels Like”, que, como dije al principio es tranquilamente un hit para los amantes del estilo, y hubiera sido un hit para todo el mundo cuando este género estaba de moda en cada radio. Muy dentro de la onda Whitesnake, con un timbre de voz ligeramente mas orientado a como suena el de Terry Ilous (XYZ) o John Gioeli (Hardline, Axel Rudi Pell).

Luego el compacto se mantiene en buen nivel, sinceramente, pero nuevamente recibo otra buena dosis de hard rock medio progresivo con “Shadow” en el que la combinación musical de todos los instrumentos me da la idea de que este conjunto es de primer nivel.
La coordinación musical llevada por los teclados, a cargo de Bo Rebsamen le da en varias facetas el toque melódico exacto, sin sonar pretencioso ni demasiado ‘espacial’.
El opus viene producido por Bormann, lo que tal vez le da aún más una buena orientación musical al producto.
Como verán no solo de chocolate y relojes buenos viven en el país suizo, recordemos que Krokus, Gotthard y Shakra son bandas de la misma nación.
Info en: www.myspace.com/sahararainmusic
Lucas Gordon.

Debut album by a band hailing from Switzerland and they have Michael Bormann (Jaded Heart/Rain) handling production and adding backing vocals. Michael Bormann also adds his considerably songwriting talents to the music on here as well. The album cover catches the eye with a belly dancer and what appears to be a pair of humping camels.

Overall it is not bad at all, coming across like fellow Swiss rockers Gotthard and the Scorpions at times. The ballad ‘Higher Sky’ is a highlight building nicely and allowing a chance for vocalist Ricci to shine. The rockers ‘Shadow’ and ‘Blinded Eyes’ remind the listener of Bon Jovi (when they were good!), both featuring some neat guitar solos.

Not a bad album at all and one you can see yourself still playing in years to come. There second album due next year should be one to look out for.

***1/2
Jason Ritchie

http://www.hotdigits.co.uk/cgi-bin/diary2/journal?user=jason

Some lyrics could be considered to be a tad over the top but I’m sure even the most miserly music critic can accept that lyrics have to be a bit more grand when you’re playing anthemic, driving, cock rock that just makes you want to grow your hair out, fill your wardrobe with leather jackets and spend the rest of your life sending applications to join Whitesnake!
The album is filled with great tracks with the likes of “Higher Sky”, “Centre of Pain”, “Black Gold”, “Shadow”, “The Dance” and “Blinded Eyes” all showing a huge amount of variety and talent! (“Be The Man” sounds like it should be the theme for a James Bond film!)
The band – Ricci on vocals, Dave Silhanek and Adrian Honegger on guitar, Levent Sunu on drums, Bo Rebsamen on keys, and Boet De Haason on bass – play tuneful, hard hitting music mixing atmospheric harmonizing into fanciful musicianship. The sound is forceful and laid back all at the same time. The star of the show is Ricci with his characterful vocalising. He’s somewhere between Ronnie James Dio, Lemmy, Michael Bormann and Jon Bon Jovi. He has a great tone with a powerful volume of emotion bubbling beneath the surface. He has got to be one of the best singers I’ve heard this year who isn’t signed to a label. The same goes for the rest of the band. Somebody needs to snap these guys up right away!
Do yourselves a favour, check this band out, you won’t be disappointed!

Rating 10/10
by Barry Gennard
Visit the Sahara Rain Website