RENEGADE - Back From The Dead (2001)

Canadian MelodicRock/AOR GEM recorded 88/89


When putting this CD on, I was immediately remembering how good the 80s sounded.
This Canadian RENEGADE take us back to a time when AOR ruled the airwaves in Northern America.
In Canada there were a lot of AOR bands and most of them were quite popular too, just to name a few, I could mention LOVERBOY, HAYWIRE, HONEYMOON SUITE, BYSTANDER, SHERIFF, ALDO NOVA, WORRALL,TRIUMPH, ZAPPACOSTA and a lot more.
Back in the late 1980s almost every Canadian rock band was playing a typical sort of Canadian AOR style, and of course many of the independent scene from that period never got that big and that’s a pity, because for example this RENEGADE had the perfect AOR sound to become HUGE!

In 2001, the CD ‘Back from the dead’ was released as CD, containing material recorded during 1988 and 1989 when RENEGADE was very much alive and kicking, but it had to wait for over a decade to finally press it onto CD.
Well, what can I say, AOR never sounded better than in the 80's, and this RENEGADE proves that fact on the CD ‘Back from the dead’ which is basically a 1989 recording.
With the exception of a few releases (PRIDE OF LIONS, BLIND ALLEY), nowadays the ‘new’ AOR doesn’t sound as good as it once sounded in the heydays of the 1980s. Just listen how perfect this CD sounds, man, this is the way AOR should sound, emotional and just perfectly performed catchy AOR.
Sadly only 8 songs are included on ‘Back from the dead’, but for the fan of 80s Canuck AOR this is a complete must!
Vocals are high class (a la MIKE RENO, MICKEY THOMAS) and the songs are all very sensational pure AOR.

The album starts with “Standing out in the rain”, a lovely uptempo AOR piece that sounds like the perfect mix between HONEYMOON SUITE, BYSTANDER and the very first HAREM SCAREM.
Up next is the terrific midtempo AOR ballad “The best of me” with it’s catchy harmonyvocals during the chorus reminding me of ALIAS.
More uptempo AOR can be heard in the fantastic “Sign of the times” that sounds like a mix between AIRKRAFT (their last record) and AVIATOR.
The high quality AOR/rock basically continues on the next song “Prisoner of your heart” which sounds a lot like LOVERBOY (‘Lovin’ every minute of it’ period).
The CD continues with the great uptempo melodic rocker “Big city night” which is pure fun 1980s and sounding like HONEYMOON SUITE in their heydays.
Those 5 mentioned songs are lovely pure 80s AOR and of a very high level! Concluded, this is a HIGHLY RECOMMENDED CD to everyone into classic 80's AOR!
192 Kbps


1. Standing Out in the Rain
2. The Best of Me
3. Sign of the Times
4. Prisoner of Your Heart
5. Big City Nights
6. After the Smoke Clears
7. Don't Be Afraid of the Dark
8. Betrayal

Marti Sippola vocals
Jim Buckshon bass, keyboards, drum programming, backing vocals
Geralso Dominelli guitar, vocals
Kenny Geatros guitar
John Tompkins keyboards


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