STARDUST
“HIGHWAY TO HEARTBREAK”
Album Review by Syl Pdll

10/10

This year seems to be something catastrophic on the music industry due to the pandemic, but new musical proposals have also emerged that begin to write their own history within the scene, this is the case of Stardust. From Hungary, this melodic rock band presents their full-length debut album Highway to Heartbreak. The album’s writing and production process was supported by Mark Spiro (Bad English, House of Lords, Giant) and Tommy Denander.

“Runaway” is the first song on this album and the fusion of melodic rock with some progressive notes is interesting. The song has that influence of the 80’s that is distinguished by its rhythm and that catchy style that is typical of the genre. Adam Stewart has a very harmonious voice that ties in with the instrumental part by emphasizing the chorus.

“Heartbreaker” begins with the drumming courtesy of Tim Keeley, which guitar and vocals are added. With a slight change in sound compared to their previous song, it is a theme that hooks to the first one, the chorus being the catchiest part. The keyboard begins to be part of the band’s hallmark due to the progressive chords that it emits fused with the guitar riffs that denote a strong 80s rock influence.

“Bullet To My Heart” has a sober instrumentation without neglecting the characteristic elements of melodic rock, giving more weight to the vocal part that evokes in our mind the style of bands like Survivor. I like the musical accent that the drums provide in the pre-chorus, progressively increasing the power, with the chorus being the highest point of the song. Adam Stewart closes the song masterfully.

“Perfect Obsession” describes the stage of infatuation being the ballad of this album. Adam Stewart does a spectacular job on the vocals, enveloping you in that mellow atmosphere that distinguishes the AOR along with the sound of the acoustic guitars played by himself and Facey. The symphonic arrangements are wonderful and end up appealing to the sentiment of whoever listens to this song.

“2nd Hand Love” is one of my favourite songs on this album. At first it gives that appearance of being a ballad, but their sound becomes wilder as the song progresses. It is perhaps one of the most rhythmic songs that the band has and it emulates a bit the sound of bands like Def Leppard but with its own style. The chorus is super catchy, and the presence of the female voice adds a certain mysticism to the song.

“Shout It Out” begins with the power of the electric guitar, which is only accompanied by the drums and in which the bass notes played by Ben Martin are perceived. The vocal performance stands out for the creation of different harmonies throughout the song, the chorus being the most notable part. It is a song that I imagine in a concert because it allows the interaction of the band with the audience.

The clearest reference that Def Leppard influenced the sound of the band is in “Can’t Stop Loving You” giving that impression (perhaps erroneous) of wanting to imitate them, however, Adam Stewart lectured on their vocal qualities in the chorus. These are other songs that add variety to the album and show the creative capacity of the Hungarian quintet.

“Eye To Eye” shows a radical sound change where the guitar and drums take on greater prominence, paying tribute to classic rock through the notes of the organ. Dave Legrand performs a masterful execution of the keyboards, moving from a more classic sound to the use of progressive notes that will make your head fly along with the guitar solo that takes up that eighties influence.

“Hey Mother” shows a more modern and rhythmic sound that pleases the ear. The notes of the keyboard are present with the other musical instruments as an accompaniment. The chorus is powerful and quite catchy in which we can see Adam Stewart making the most of his vocal qualities.

Preparing for the final part of the album is “Blue Jeans Eyes” that continues with the same musical atmosphere created in the previous song, but with a more melodic and softer sound that reminds us of bands like Journey. The vocal performance is wonderful.

The introduction of “The River Is Rollin’” is majestic as it takes up that American style through the chords of the guitar that merges with the sound of the keyboard creating a wonderful instrumentation. The chorus is the most critical part of the song where Adam Stewart shines for his vocal performance. It is a wise decision for the band to culminate their debut album with this masterpiece.

Stardust has written its first chapter within the scene with letters of gold. Highway to Heartbreak is an album that takes up the old school of melodic rock from the 80’s and appropriates it to create its own style presenting very varied songs that will definitely catch the listener’s attention, it is an album that definitely will not You will be bored and amazed by the creative capacity of this Hungarian quintet.

TRACKLIST

Runaway
Heartbreaker
Bullet To My Heart
Perfect Obsession
2nd Hand Love
Shout It Out
Can’t Stop Loving You
Eye To Eye
Hey Mother
Blue Jeans Eyes (Bonus Track)
The River Is Rollin’

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