ALBUM REVIEW: Sometimes The World Ain’t Enough – The Night Flight Orchestra

Who would have thought that the lead singer for one of Sweden’s most beloved melodic death metal bands would be hiding such a talent for classic rock? Well, Bjorn ‘Speed’ Strid, the voice behind SOILWORK, has been leading a double life for over a decade now with both his main band and THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA, formed alongside then bandmate David Andersson in 2007 and also including former members of ARCH ENEMY and KING DIAMOND. Yesterday, their fourth album came out via Nuclear Blast Records, entitled Sometimes the World Ain’t Enough and it might just be the most bonkers record you hear this year.

Essentially, Sometimes The World Ain’t Enough is dripping with enough cheese to feed several fondue parties at the same time, but it’s done with such gusto and unashamed panache that one cannot help but completely invest themselves in it. Take any band from.the mid 1980’s that played glam/hair metal or AOR and you’re somewhere close to the sound of the dozen tracks present on the record.

There’s EUROPE in Turn to Miami, KISS in the title track, DEF LEPPARD in the bombastic Lovers in the Rain and one of the poppiest guitar tones you’ll hear in 2018 on Pretty Thing Closing In that wouldn’t sound out of place on the soundtrack to Miami Vice. Even the least interesting song on the album, penultimate track Winged and Serpentine, still has something about it that cannot be shaken off and throughout the album the want to move and throw shapes like your dad at a wedding is overpowering, to say the least.

What’s even better, and very apparent, is that Strid and co are throwing everything they can into it. Granted, it might be expected given that THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA are now four albums into their career, but this is no half-hearted attempt at something to scratch an itch that SOILWORK cannot reach; it’s got as many bells and whistles attached as possible, and what’s also apparent is how much fun everyone is having. Just listen to the likes of Barcelona with its gigantic chorus and try saying it hasn’t been recorded with giant smiles on every face, it won’t be possible.

Sometimes The World Ain’t Enough will not end up in many album of the year lists, but as far as unashamed throwbacks go, you won’t find many better than this record in 2018, pure and simple.

Rating: 8/10

Sometime The World Ain’t Enough is out now via Nuclear Blast Records.

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