Nicklas Sonne - Electric Dreams
(Frontiers Music SRL - 2025)
(Genre: Hard Rock)
Having reviewed Nicklas Sonne’s 'Aries Descendant' album last year and finding that a solid listen, I thought I had a good idea what ‘Electric Dreams’ would offer style wise. Surprisingly and refreshingly Nicklas Sonne uses this solo platform to deliver a more modern hard rock album. It is a style that Sonne mostly delivers rather well across the twelve tracks on offer.
It also shows his musical diversity as it stays away from the symphonic, power metal sound of the aforementioned Aries Descendant project. Sonne is a multi-instrumentalist and given the info pack offers no signs to suggest there were any collaborating artists involved on ‘Electric Dreams’. I am left to assume Sonne produced most of this album himself. So let’s get stuck into what this Danish virtuoso musician has put together on this release.
Opening the album is ‘Fireline’ offering touches of power and symphonic metal. It is a serviceable opening track but fails to fully grab me as an album opener should, despite some fine guitar work. ‘Route 65’ has a more direct hard rock sound thanks to the core riff and drum work. This gives the track a catchy, toe tapping energy that is had not to enjoy. The album unexpectedly moves slightly into Nickelback territory with ‘Shadows in Between’. The drumming keeps the hard rock energy locked in tight, while Sonne lays down some tasty guitar work and vocals.
‘A Woman’s World’ stays in this Nickelback style. It is another fun rocker with a simple but infectious drumbeat, that instantly has you nodding your head along to its beat. Sonne is channelling a Chad Kroeger energy in his vocals here too. ‘Limitless’ falls short of maintaining the form of the previous three tracks. It is a steady enough song where the main guitar solo reminds me of something that Dragonforce might produce. Rounding out the first half of the album is ‘Epic Song’ with its country rock style. A decent track but maybe not quite the “epic song” it claims to be.
Track 7 is the title song and is rather forgettable in truth. It is perhaps the weakest song on the album in my opinion. ‘Living Loud’ gets the album back on track again with its fist pumping, old school rock sound. Sonne puts down some fine riff work as well as a vocal that reminds me of Andy Biersack (Black Veil Brides). We go all in on the Nickelback style for ‘Baron of Mischief’ which is my favourite track on the album.
From the drums, guitar sound and Sonne’s vocal, this is unashamedly Nickelback! ‘Helldivers Anthem’ is more like a speed metal song and as such doesn’t really mesh with the majority of the album. ‘Always With Us’ is the token gesture ballad of the album. It comes across as a ballad for the sake of a ballad to me. The instrumental ‘Overload’ closes the album and Sonne really let’s fly on the frets. The drumming is powerful and dynamic, matching Sonne’s slick guitar work on this two and a half minute final flourish.
Hard Rock with a modern edge is what Nicklas Sonne has delivered with ‘Electric Dreams’. There are a couple of missteps perhaps but overall the album is a solid twelve tracks of music.
By Carl Mace