http://www.rockreport.be/

Audiovison is a new project formed around Naria throat Christian Rivel and Lions Share guitarist Lars Chriss. The rhythm section is made up of bass player Mikael Höglund (Thunder, Great King Rat) and drummer Thomas Broman (Great King Rat & Electric Boys). Completing the band’s line-up is keyboardist Andreas Lindahl (Platitude) but it’s the impressive list of guest musicians including Mats Leven, Thomas Vikström, Mic Michaeli, Bruce Kulick, Tommy Denander, Eric Clapton, Tony Franklin and Jeff Scott Soto as most familiar faces, that draws a big part of the attention.

With a list like that you expect nothing short of stunning and that’s exactly what you get. The melodic power metal produced by these gentlemen falls in somewhere between Masterplan, Edguy and Hammerfall and therefore will have instant appeal to anyone who fancies (one of) these bands. Vocalist Rivel has a good voice but it’s a bit of a shame about his rather strong accent that at times is just a tad too obvious.

Musically everything else is fine though with all those else involved playing as tight as possible resulting in quality guitar solos, excellent drum work and great community singing. Topped of with a first rate production job and really great songs this is one album that has all the necessary elements to be labelled as “recommended listening”. My only quibble is the rather short playing time of the whole affair.

“The Calling” offers the listener 10 tracks including a cover of The Sweet tune “Love Is Like Oxygen” and a nice little instrumental in the shape closing cut “Colors”. Of the remaining tracks I like the full on power of “The King Is Alive”, “Evil Or Divine”, “Read Between The Lines” and “Face To Face” best.

This is indeed a pleasant surprise and a genuine gem waiting to be discovered by anyone who cares to go looking for it.

(SDR)
 

http://melodic.net/

Audiovision is a new brilliant melodic hardrock/metal act from Sweden including former Narnia singer Christian Rivel and Lion Share´s axeman Lars Chriss who has also produced this album. The sound is heavy and the production is powerful and top-notch. Rest of the band is Mikael Höglund(bass ex- Great King Rat, Thunder), Thomas Broman(drums ex- Great King Rat, Glenn Hughes) and Andreas Lindahl(keyboards) so you can see that this is a high quality line-up. The guestlist is even stronger with names like Mats Leven, Thomas Vikström, Mattias "IA" Eklundh, Mic Michaeli, Bruce Kulick, Janne Stark and Tony Franklin to name the biggest once. Tommy Denander is another guest and he has co-written couple of songs on the album and contributed with his brilliant guitarwork. This is a album that will please fans of Edguy, Masterplan and through in some traces of Lion Share and you will one helluva time with this album. This is a heavy album but they have manage to come up with awesome melodies and everytime you listen to it you find new parts on the album that sounds brilliant. This is a album that will even grow after couple of spins.

They have come up with a strong cover version of Sweet´s Love Is Like Oxygen were Christian shares the lead vocals with Jeff Scott Soto, superb stuff.

More highlights is the fantastic up-tempo rocker Read Between The Lines that turns up the heat in the chorus that is filled with rifffantastic guitars with a awesome guitarsolo and powerful background vocals. Fasten you seatbelts when you listen to Evil Or Divine because this one rocks hard as hell with a strong catchy chorus. The right in your face smasher Face To Face will make you play some airguitars and while you do that you cant avoid to listen to the wonderful solo from Mr. Kulick.

Powermetal freaks will love the Masterplan sound-a-like Show Me The Way with a strong catchy chorus with sing-a-long feel over it, great stuff.

This was a big surprise from Audivision that has come up with a strong hardrock/metal album in the highest level. You have to check out this if your into heavy melodic hardrock done with quality.