Barnabas Sky
What Comes to Light

A read about a German melodck hard rock all-star project led by German guitarist and songwriter Markus Pfeffer, it is called Barnabas Sky and releases is second album early 2023. It is a fine collection of musicians gathered, mostly singers like Dan Reed, Dougie White, Lee Small, Danny Vaughn, and a few more. But all-star? I guess it depends on how you define it, but none of them can be said to have been heard on anything really big, Doogie White on Rainbow’s most anonymous album, or Small from Sweet perhaps, but it is mostly bands known for those quite initiated. Still, quality has nothing to do with sales or how you want to define things, all-star might just mean that they are top notch musicians coming together from different bands.

Stan W. Decker has made a great artwork for this album, kind of like the hope growing after the war. It is not a cover that connects well to what we get to hear but, it looks great nevertheless. Musically it is all familiar with songs built around distinct choruses, melodies, some cool keyboard lines and those things typical of the melodic rock/AOR that was pioneered a very long time ago. No surprises really, good voices, but strangely enough the album feels like it lacks variation over the eleven tracks and 57, I don’t think that should happen with so many singers. But perhaps the singers are too similar, and it would have been better with just one and a shorter album.

Fresh ideas wouldn’t have hurt either as this album feels a bit lacklustre in that regard, and it is too long. I don’t think the production is that great either, many melodic hard rockers showcase a sound that is much more refined than what we hear on this one – not that it is bad, just not anywhere near the best. Nowhere near the best can also be said about the songs that are rather generic, I don’t think there is anything on this album that stands out in a positive or negative view. It is just a collection of generic hard rock songs, songs that feels too familiar for new songs, and there is nothing I feel like singing along with.

I find myself asking, who is this for? Is there anyone that will really like this album? I am not sure there is, that is the problem with What Comes to Like, I was bored the first time I heard it and that is never a good sign when taking on a new album. Therefore, I think the wisest choice would be to get another album, I doubt that anyone will like this one.

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