Contrary to what The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo and The Killing would have us believe, it's not all crime-infested doom and gloom in Scandinavia. Over the last decade, an increasing number of quality melodic rock acts have emerged from the region, bashing out stadium-sized escapist anthems doused in the pheromones of LA's hedonistic Sunset Strip, circa 1985.
Although they've been active since 2004, it wasn't until charismatic singer Sebastian Roos joined the group that Sweden's Miss Behaviour really took off. His sleazy rasp and powerful delivery gave them more bite than your average AOR bear, while his recorded bow - 2011's 'Last Woman Standing' - received rave reviews and established them alongside Reckless Love and H.E.A.T as key players in this healthy cult scene.
'Double Agent' picks up exactly where that release left off, as the aptly titled On With The Show storms out of the blocks with razor-edged riffs, singalong hooks and soaring keys.
Influenced by Journey, Foreigner and Toto, Miss Behaviour boast the kind of domineering synthesisers you don't hear much these days. They can be cheesy, but when skilfully employed are uplifting, dramatic and add real cinematic power.
Henrik Sproge's pulsing, twinkling keys drive every song on this record, with moody monster Edge Of The World unleashing typically intelligent counter melodies and magical touches beneath the tune’s bash ‘n' crash beat and huge vocal attack. It also showcases how Sproge and the band’s equally tasteful guitarist, Erik Heikne, play off each other, giving each tune the required sizzle as they weave together in fine fashion.
Where the title track is a classic slice of radio humping AOR, Magical Feeling swaggers with six-string grooves and a hearty Def Leppard chorus, while Love Reflector's laser guided guitars, hypnotic keys and shifting refrains boast a slightly prog-rock feel.
As does Cause Of Liberty, a near eight minute epic whose dystopian synths and firestorm power chords recall Dream Theater, while the verse’s twilight bleakness and conspiracy-centred lyrics evoke 'Operation Mindcrime' era Queensryche.
Anyone who loves the unabashed optimism of some ‘80s culture will adore this record. In fact, many of the songs feel like soundtracks to profoundly shallow, but utterly stirring coming-of-age films.
No ‘80s flick would be complete without power ballads, of course, and the excellent Corporation Arms could easily play over the closing credits as a gang of misfits triumph over impossible odds. Silver Rain, on the other hand, is very different, with its orchestral lushness building to a crescendo that's reminiscent of the closing chapter of Extreme's 'Three Sides To Every Story'.
This has been a fantastic year for new melodic rock releases and the consistency, class and variety of 'Double Agent' puts it up there with the very best of them.
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