Defenders Of The Faith, le forum Metal

Nordic Union is the name behind the new musical collaboration, built by Frontiers president Serafino Perugino, between singer Ronnie Atkins of the Danish hard rock institution Pretty Maids and the up-and-coming Swedish songwriter and producer Erik Martensson of Eclipse and W.E.T. fame.

Atkins says: "The music on the album has a focus on good melodies and there's some good guitar work as well. I had a good gut feeling ever since I heard the first songs from Erik Martensson, and I was right he's a very gifted and talented songwriter!"

"While Pretty Maids is still my first priority" explains Ronnie, "the production process and the work on this record went very smoothly. I think what came out is a killer melodic hard rock album with a lot of good songs on it. I could really feel the songs as mine and identify with those. So I hope the fans will be able to share my view and it's been some kind of a little fresh breath in between albums for me, really."

"Nordic Union" tracklist:

01. The War Has Begun
02. Hypocrisy
03. Wide Awake
04. Every Heartbeart
05. When Death Is Calling
06. 21 Guns
07. Falling
08. The Other Side
09. Point Of No Return
10. True Love Awaits You
11. Go

Nordic Union recording lineup:

Ronnie Atkins: Lead, background vocals
Erik Martensson: Lead guitar, bass, keyboards and background vocals
Magnus Ulfstedt: Drums

Guest guitar solos:

Thomas Larsson, guitar solo on "Every Heartbest" and "Wide Awake"
Fredrik Folkare, guitar solo on "Point Of No Return" and "Hypocrisy"
Magnus Henriksson, guitar solo on "The War Has Begun"

The Danish/Swedish group NORDIC UNION — which features PRETTY MAIDS vocalist Ronnie Atkins and guitarist/songwriter/producer Erik Martensson (ECLIPSE, W.E.T., AMMUNITION) — will release its sophomore album, "Second Coming", via Frontiers Music Srl on Nov. 9.

The album's cover artwork can be seen below.

NORDIC UNION released its acclaimed self-titled debut album – which also featured Martensson's ECLIPSE and AMMUNITION bandmate Magnus Ulfstedt on drums — in January of 2016.

Nordic Union, the ongoing musical collaboration between legendary Danish rock singer Ronnie Atkins (Pretty Maids) and prolific Swedish songwriter and producer Erik Martensson (Eclipse, W.E.T.), have announced their third album, Animalistic, will be released on August 5.

Today, the band has released the first single and video from the album, "In Every Waking Hour". Watch the video below, and pre-order/save Animalistic on CD, Limited Edition Green LP, & Digital, here.

As has been well documented at this point, Atkins was recently given a stage four cancer diagnosis, but rather than sit at home and sulk, the legendary frontman has thrown himself into creating more music. March 2021 saw the release of his solo album, One Shot, which was followed almost one year to the day later in March 2022 by another solo album, Make It Count. Not satisfied with resting on his laurels, Atkins partnered up with Martensson in late 2021 and early 2022 to work on Nordic Union's third album, Animalistic.

Martensson is coming off the heels of two successful 2021 releases, the fourth album, Retransmission from W.E.T. and his main band Eclipse's most successful album to date, Wired, which charted in various countries around the world.

Fans of previous Nordic Union's album will find nothing but pure melodic hard rock joy to soak in on this third opus. Martensson, on an absolute creative, and commercial, winning streak with the most recent Eclipse albums, wrote the bulk of the album with contributions from Atkins and Miqael Persson, and also produced, mixed, and mastered the album. The results are nothing short of inspired and delightful. A true testament to the skills and talent of both Atkins and Martensson.

The partnership between the two musicians started in 2015, when Frontiers President and Head of A&R, Serafino Perugino had the idea to bring the two together to create some uncompromising Scandinavian melodic hard rock. Martensson worked on some demos and sent them off to Atkins for him to hear. The enthusiastic reaction from Atkins sparked a brand new musical alliance that culminated in Nordic Union’s self-titled debut album, which was released in January 2016. Musically, the duo presented a hybrid of the more melodic aspects of Pretty Maids’ sound mixed with elements of Eclipse, Talisman, and W.E.T., while still possessing their own identity.

Following requests from fans for a follow up to the debut, the two musicians decided to give Nordic Union another shot, so after a few months of production, Second Coming was finished and unleashed in October 2018. Every aspect of the album screamed QUALITY. The songwriting was of the highest standards, the musicianship faultless, and the production top notch, crisp and clear as a bell. Atkins deftly demonstrated throughout the album that he knows how to use his voice effectively at any given point in a song. Heavy riffs, soaring vocals, thumping beats, and a grand ballad…this album had it all and flowed perfectly with songs that are memorable, rocking, and of course, melodic.

Come August 5, fans can one again expect to be floored by another gem from Nordic Union!

Polochon a écrit : ↑

02 sept. 2022, 23:29

J'en suis presque à penser que Ronnie propose ses meilleures sorties depuis qu'on lui a diagnostiqué cette saleté de phase 4, et c'est bien dommage... en lui souhaitant de ne pas trop en baver tant qu'il est parmi nous, quand même.