Tony Harnell (ex-TNT) collaborates for a third time with guitarist Magnus Karlsson (Primal Fear, Allen/Lande) on their Starbreaker project. With multiple bands, collaborations, being the norm today, good to see these two talents have at least one consistent home to make new music.

Lead off track ‘Pure Evil’ is aggressive power metal and would have fit on a Primal Fear album. ‘Wild Butterflies’ maintains a moody melody where Harnell shows off his range, both his mid tone and highs in this rocker. Karlsson’s guitar sound on ‘Last December’ is basically the same as the last several Fear albums, switches back and forth between the crunchy riffs and melodic verses for a modern rhythmic chorus.
‘My Heart Belongs To You’ follows for an ‘80s AOR Survivor meets Eclipse type up beat hook. Piano based ballad ‘Beautiful One’ spotlight’s Harnell and the guy still has those angelic pipes, and ‘How Many More Goodbyes’ mixes a chugging rhythm with an AOR hook. Album closes with a fitting beefed up cover of Judas Priest’s ‘Starbreaker’.