The Switch – No Way Out
(Frontiers Music SRL – 2025)
(Genre: Melodic Rock)
The Switch are a new band made up of twin brothers Tom and James Martin who play lead guitar and keyboards respectively.
The rest of the line-up features Canadian Vocalist, Bobby John & Dennis 'Butabi' Borg on bass. This their debut is ambitious but does it switch on the light as intended? Opener ‘Danger On The Loose’ is Hysteria style Def Leppard and gets us off to a flyer.
The album is 80’s Rock, it transports you back there, like going ‘Back To The Future’ which is interesting as ‘No Way Out’ is written as a concept like a film. The idea is the film is called The Switch and is about a band who find themselves in the 80’s on tour where they encounter a Mafia like mob, they have no way out and need to swap their guitars for hi powered weapons if there going to be any chance of escape. The 10 songs on offer are the soundtrack to their adventures.
I have already mentioned the 80’s vibe, it is awash with keyboards, tasty guitar which dazzle. The songs have huge choruses making them instantly likeable and listenable, Bobby John has a good range his vocals quite hi pitched but precise. As an album it doesn’t take you anywhere you haven’t been before but fans of Melodic Rock will enjoy this.
Even though there is a theme the songs stand up individually, the production is polished, clear and precise. The album artwork encapsulates the mid 80’s it even has VHS on it, giving you the impression of a blockbuster film. Back to the line-up no one gets credited as the drummer, I wonder why. In the guise of The Switch they describe themselves as powerhouse group, I am not sure I would define them as such, pop hair metal more like.
Other tracks of note are; ‘Young Hearts’ the rhythm and the chorus draw the listener in. The title track has the band trapped with no way out. One Night With You’ is the obligatory sweet ballad it does its job nicely. ‘Strangers Eyes’ rounds the album off nicely.
My guess is this album will not become a classic, it won’t stay in the memory like those biggest movies of the 80’s, that is unless we are living in a parallel Universe. Don’t worry about the concept, after a few listens the songs hook you in and compel you to give it another go.
Great return to action from the Nitrate and Vega boys.
By Paul Mace