Previously unknown - to my archives - bands are a charming chance to hang around with new names and try to focus/get familiar to fresh options regarding hard/heavy music. TOJA comes from Germany - the brainchild of singer Thomas Tommy Rinn and multi-instrumentalist Jan JJ Thielking - and Train Of Life is their third offering via Avenue Of Allies. A mediocre effort, I'm sorry to say. There truly are some good ideas in the songwriting field, with a specific scope to point out there's still available melody to be used in mid-pace or slow parts, while I'd not oppose to the declaration of the band holding their own identity. Mixing the vintage 70s Hard Rock aesthetics with a good portion of melodic/pomp Rock breeze, Train Of Life is not much of a disappointment in these sectors. Still, the vocals performance is mediocre at its best - and unfortunately becomes somehow boring in particular timelines - plus the album's production is everything else but a solid clear result ready to fight in a competitive battlefield of countless releases. Thin, far from being professional, fuzzy and faint, the overall sound does not add something but - on the contrary - omits from the existing handful of TOJA's remarkable ideas. Trying to listen to the album again and again it was inevitable nothing could go better as an option/opinion. The main idea in End Of A Nation is excellent and there are some 'here and there' schemes that can attract the melodic/pomp Rock fan looking for something more intriguing, e.g. enough guitar leads - the sound here does fit in the format - or some inspiring multi-choir harmonies, but a draft presentation can sum it up to… …an album being rather pale in order to satisfy your needs. Have not listened to TOJA's previous couple of CDs - First Step and The Spirit Of… - so as to conclude bout their possible value all these years, but Train Of Life surely needs enough luck in a possible show-down.
P.S.: This album took two-and-a-half years to be recorded/mixed?
Tracklist:
Train Of Life No Cross Just A Love-Song First Love End Of A Nation All Of My Life Slave To The Machine Hold My Hand Night To Remember Circle Of Lies
Lineup:
Tommy - Vocals, Bass, Guitars, Percussion JJ - Guitars, Keyboards, Bass, Vocals, Percussion, Programming Ole - Bass Tim - Drums
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