Collateral Debut Cd review

Tuesday, January 14, 2020

Collateral Debut Cd review

UK four-piece rock band Collateral are set to release their highly anticipated eponymous debut album on February 21, 2020 The album will be released by Roulette Media .

Their debut ep 4 Shots caused a stir with it's radio friendly anthems and with high profile supports at Camden Rocks and the Rising Stage at Ramblin' Man Fair and then with Jon Bon Jovi on his “Runaway to Paradise” Mediterranean Cruise big things are expected of this 9 track opus.

Thankfully the Kent based band that consist's of Angelo Tristan (lead vocals, guitar), Todd Winger (guitar), Jack Bentley-Smith (bass) and Ben Atkinson (drums) have produced an 9 track album full of songs with huge choruses and melodies to die for and for me the fantastic bit is this is only the start of a career that could and should be stratospheric.

Influences any radio friendly band from the 80's including Foreigner,The Eagles and of course Bon Jovi.Angelo is living his Jon Bon Jovi dream and I for one look forward to him developing into Angelo and his own style over the course of time.

His right hand man Todd Winger on guitar for me adds to the star quality with his heavy riffing and stunning soloing a real step up in class from the normal.When I saw them in the live setting his work took it to the next level and I was hoping he wouldn't be buried in a radio friendly mix on the album.Yes there are ballads but his superb tone and soloing on these make it not just a typical ballad and on songs like Mr Big Shot,Promiseland and Won't Stop Me Dreaming their is some dirt on the riffs which is what I hoped for.

Mr Big Shot was the first single with it's big guitar riff and bass line that leads the song into a huge chorus.Love the way the guitar riff drops in and out of the verse and Todd's extra guitar libbing pre chorus is superb along side Angelo's vocal melody that will see crowd's belting it back to him before too long and the first of Todd's solo's hits the mark .

Promiseland has a guitar riff start before it drops to a picked riff with bass drum backing to get the hand's clapping before the band all kick in for the chorus.Angelo shows off his full range with melody and also a bit of grit too showing that it isn't all about ballads and the heavier end of the spectrum can be visited too.

Merry Go Round has a little bit of Black Stone Cherry in the main riff and a Southern vibe with acoustic guitar fitting well along side Todd's heavy riff.A few heys thrown in to the chorus and the fast fingered guitar solo drops out for a big riff before returning.

In It For Love is a fast paced number with some keys added to the mix in the pre verse and the main chorus adding to the depth.The main guitar riff drops out again letting the bass work of Jack shine through in the verse and the guitar solo sees Todd at his finest and again elevating the song to a higher level.

Lullaby starts on a big guitar riff and Ben's drum fills really show up on this mid paced number and Angelo sings with a slightly darker tone and the big wooahs in the chorus will be a crowd favourite for sure.More Todd fireworks mid song on a number built for nodding head's as the crowd sizes will continue to grow.

Midnight Queen is pure americana with a twanging guitar add libs that will get your toe tapping and the chorus melody is to die for.

Get Back To You is an acoustic led ballad giving Angelo a chance to shine and for iphones to light up the crowd.Todd hit's one of those ballad solo's and you think that's it.But the last minute of the song sees Todd extending his solo with picked notes and really showing for me that he can be the difference between good and great.Wonderful.

Won't Stop Dreaming is a drum and bass led rocker with a big gang style chorus and Angelo again showing off a his melodic tone and more acoustic strumming with the guitar riff lower in the mix giving the vocals more cahnce to breathe.

About This Boy finishes the cd with an autobiographical story from Angelo and a country feel with a video bound to follow.Maybe a different track listing placing for this song as I do like a heavier end to an album but I am nitpicking.

Collateral have produced a debut album to be proud of and we all need to get behind them now.

If you haven't heard of Collateral before you soon will as stadium's of the world come calling and you would have been their at the very beginning.