ALBUM REVIEW: Aeromantic – The Night Flight Orchestra

When band members decide to do a side project, more often than not they don’t stray too far away from the overall sound of their parent band – sure, you can pick out new influences and directions, but there’s still enough of the sound embedded in what they’re most known for. Try telling that to Björn Strid of SOILWORK though, who for the last eight years has tapped into all things retro with THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA and made it completely bombastic and fun, a far cry away from the melodic death metal he’s usually associated with. Fifth album Aeromantic is out now via Nuclear Blast and has been met with a good deal of excitement, such is the growing stature of this eight-piece.

Given the state of the world right now – huge climate issues, rampant viruses, severe political tension and the rest – having something positive to cling on to is a welcome addition to anyone’s day-to-day life and Aeromantic is exactly that. This could well end up as the feel-good album of the year and we’re only eight weeks in; once again THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA have taken every stereotype of 70’s and 80’s glam, hard rock and synth, thrown it all together and delivered it in such a manner that the smile will creep onto your face unawares and just get bigger the more you listen.

It starts off, surprisingly, a little serenely; Servants of the Air has a grandiose build but doesn’t quite hit the heights that long-time fans would probably be used to. Any fear that this album might wobble throughout, though, are eviscerated with the hugely infectious Divinyls and If Tonight is Our Only Chance which, for those of us in the UK, has a keyboard line that doesn’t half bear a resemblance to the theme tune from classic TV gameshow The Crystal Maze. Yep, you read that right.

Where Aeromantic also excels is that, because of the unabashed influences that run through it, it doesn’t particularly matter that there’s so much going on – it all works. From the funk-laden Curves to the driving AC/DC riff in the title track via the TOTO-esque power ballad that is Golden Swansdown, nothing feels too out of place and unusual; it all adds to the overall, upbeat experience. The subtle backing vocals of ‘The Airline Annas’ (Anna-Mia Bonde and Anna Brygård) deserve a special mention as well, for they just add that extra bit of depth and layer that isn’t always present in music of this style, which allows for a richer experience. In fact, by the time City Lights & Moonbeams delivers a final round of rock goodness, it’s almost sad that such a glorious ride has come to an end.

Yes, Aeromantic is dripping in more cheese than the vast majority of Broadway musicals out there and it might be a little too sweet for some people, but if you need an album to put a huge grin on your face and lift your spirits in times of darkness, THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA have covered you once again. It’s hard to truly express just how fun this album is in words, so go and listen to it already; you’ll be damn pleased you did.

Rating: 8/10

Aeromantic is out now via Nuclear Blast Records. 

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