Michael Sweet – Ten
Label: Frontiers Records
Release date: October 11th, 2019
Website: www.michaelsweet.com
It seems that MICHAEL SWEET is one of the hardest working musicians in the biz today. He does not only release high quality albums with his main band STRYPER on a regular basis but has been working on a few side projects such as TOURNIQUET (2014, guest vocals) or SWEET & LYNCH. Now he is back with his 10th album, so you might want to take an educated guess why he simply/aptly titled the album “Ten“. With this newbie, Mr. Sweet is venturing into more metal territory now. Consequently, he invited a few illustrous guest musicians like Jeff Loomis (NEVERMORE alumni), OZZY’s Gus G. or the jack of all trades Todd LaTorre of QUEENSYCHE fame to spice up the 12 songs. Even though there is no real stand out killer track on the album, the record is more than just a consistent affair as it doesn’t contain any stinkers. If you like Michael’s last outings (also counting the last STRYPER albums), chances are high you will like “Ten“, too. Hence, the album’s opener “Better Part Of Me“ seems to be carved out of the same wood as the last bunch of STRYPER albums. Additionally, it is truly remarkable how Michael’s voice stood the test of time. Absolutely no complaints here. In my opinion, it is even stronger today than it was in the 80s. In a nutshell, while not being true metal, “Ten“ is a worthy addition to any STRYPER or MICHAEL SWEET collection.
7,5/10
Kai Brockschmidt
Tracklist:
01. Better Part Of Me (featuring Jeff Loomis)
02. Lay It Down (featuring Marzi Montazeri)
03. Forget, Forgive (featuring Howie Simon)
04. Now Or Never (featuring Gus G)
05. Ten (featuring Rich Ward)
06. Shine (featuring Ethan Brosh)
07. Let It Be Love
08. Never Alone (featuring Joel Hoekstra)
09. When Love Is Hated (featuring Joel Hoekstra)
10. Ricochet (featuring Tracii Guns of L.A. GUNS)
Bonustracks:
11. With You Till The End (featuring Mike Kerr und Ian Raposa)
12. Son Of Man (featuring Todd La Torre und Andy James)
