Coldspell hail from a small mining town in the north of Sweden and like so many of their compatriots, play their own particular version of melodic hard rock and are the brainchild of guitarist / songwriter Michael Larsson, a man clearly influenced by the likes of Malmsteen (check out the solo during the opening track, for example) and also the classic rock sounds of the late 70s, a la Led Zeppelin (again check out the opening track’s groove to see this shine through). At the same time, there is a more modern straight hard rock element to the band, making quite a diverse mix overall. 

The Whitesnake influence is prevalent on second track, “Keep On Believin', with definite overtones of Mr Coverdale’s classic Judgement Day in evidence. Vocalist Niclas Swedentorp has a decent enough voice, but then again so many hard rock singers from Sweden, and the guitar work of Michael Larsson is equally as proficient. With plans in place for a full debut album this summer there is enough on this EP to suggest it could be a decent album, whilst not delivering anything particularly new or different. The band are capable musicians, with a decent enough frontman, but there seems to be a lack of spark, probably due to the fact that the songs themselves just aren't catchy or memorable enough to really leave much of a lasting impression. Overall, good but certainly not great, and potentially capable of a lot more.

Contact:  www.myspace.com/coldspellsweden  

Paul Williams