Review | Issa – Another World

Frontiers Music srl

Some eight months ago UK rockers Nitrate released their fourth album ‘Feel The Heat’. For me without a doubt one of the best sounding melodic rock albums of 2023. Singer Alex Strandell performed a duet with Norwegian rock goddess Issa. The song ,,One Kiss (Save My Heart)’’ was one of the several highlights on that record. The album was produced by Tom and James Martin who some time before had left Vega and joined Nitrate, not only as musicians but also as song writers and producers.

A NEW PACT

Working with Nitrate and the Martin brothers must have opened some doors for Issa (real name Isabell Oversveen). She has formed a new pact with Tom and James. They helped her out writing new songs, getting together a bunch of musicians including Vega drummer Pete Newdeck and guitarist Robert Sall (Work Of Art) plus some other people. On ‘Another World’ Issa sounds better than she ever did on her other albums. She proved in the past that she could sing but here we hear a new Issa. One with more strength, stamina and a newly found confidence.

A CLASSIC TOUCH

‘Another World’ is an album with a classic eighties touch that has power, finesse and because of the synthesizer work by James Martin flirts with a touch of pop. Mind you though, ‘Another World’ is certainly not pop as there are a few heavy rock crackers present such as ,,Never Sleep Alone’’. The bulk of the album is filled with melodic material and AOR that is being beefed up by the production of the Martin brothers and backed by heavy guitars and drums. In a way they have done the same as they have done with Nitrate.

Taking the quality of the voice in mind, putting that at centre stage and built some prolific music around a kick ass production. For Issa this method has proven to be gold. I have never heard her sing this good and so full of confidence. These songs were written for her voice especially. It might sound very eighties perhaps but the modern production makes ‘Another World’ just right. For fans of powerful AOR with a healthy classic touch plus gutsy vocals this is a record to cherish.

Release date: 7 June 2024