Perfect Plan - Heart Of A Lion
(Frontiers Music SRL - 2025)
(Genre: AOR/Melodic Rock)
Perfect Plan are a melodic rock band from Sweden and Heart Of A Lion is their fourth studio release.
Kent Hilli (Vocals), Leif Ehlin (Keyboard), Rolf Nordstrom (Guitar), Mats Bystrom (Bass) and Fredrik Forsberg (Drums) are the men offering up some 80’s inspired Rock. If 80’s AOR in the style of Europe, Foreigner and Survivor to name a but a few is your thing then you’ll probably like what’s in store.
Perfect Plan deliver this style with such ease that you would assume you were back in the 80’s for real. They imitate this sound flawlessly. This in my mind is also where the issue lies with Perfect Plan. There is nothing unique or original about them to grab the listeners attention. For the most part this is just generic music that could be anyone.
Title track and opener ‘Heart Of A Lion’ shows this from the off as their influences shine through instantly. ‘We are Heroes’ continues in the same unoriginal manner. Track 3 ‘All Night’ has a nice arena rock vibe and hints the band have more up their collective sleeves. It still lacks points for originality but has a more solid sound overall.
‘Turn Up Your Radio’, ‘My Unsung Hero’ and ‘Ready To Break’ all deliver generic, unmemorable tracks for the album. Track 7 is ‘Too Tough’ and could easily be taken from the Rocky movie soundtrack.
Then we get ‘Lady Mysterious’ where Kent Hilli is producing his best impersonation of David Coverdale. There is certainly a heavy Whitesnake vibe to this song and it’s the best song so far. ‘One Touch’ continues this up swing in form for the album.
‘Danger On The Loose’ might be the albums best track, Nordstrom delivers his best overall performance of guitar. Bystrom and Forsberg keep the rhythm of the track strong and Ehlin adds nice melodic tones on the keyboards. Finally ‘At Your Stone’ wraps up the album more in keeping with how it began.
‘Heart Of A Lion’ is an uninspired album by Perfect Plan. Mostly underwhelming and fails to provide anything unique. This is an album that won’t live long in the memory
By Carl Mace