Oxygen
Final Warning

I think it's peculiar - because if you look at the release schedule for the past year or two you're easilly tricked in to believing that it's been a huge boom for AOR, because I'm pretty sure that there hasn't been this many AOR albums released as frequently as they've been released lately since the early 90's, but looking at sales and popularity the interest doesn't seem to match that increase. Don't get me wrong, it's nice to see AOR being released like this where dozens of AOR albums are released every month, but I can't help wondering for whom they are released? And why? Is this genre really this popular at the moment? Or are there just so many more bands coming these days that want to play AOR? And since it's a genre that very rarely sounds crap they figure they want to have a go with it? Well, I don't really know but I have yet another new AOR album here and I think it's the millionth one from 2012, or something like that.

'Final Warning' does, however, not overwhelm me with it's quality and I think it's fair to say it's pretty far from being the best ever AOR I've heard but neither is it an album you simply hate because actually there's very little to complain about. Sure, the vocals by band leader Tony Niva isn't great being mostly in the high pitched regions and doing falsetto more and less throughout the entire album. Not the greatest way to sing, even though it's quite impressing. The record label states Niva has been working with music for the past 25 years but I've done some research around him for this review and it doesn't seem like he's had any success at all despite all these years and plenty of constellations. With Oxygen being the latest of his shots for success I'm guessing it's another attempt ending up like the others because despite very little being bad, even less feels like it's pure and unquestioned quality.

The album is only 33 1/2 minute long, which actually makes me feel there could be room for more songs like the eleven they've included on this album. What I'm missing are those sensational songs with wow-factor and even though most of the material is decent enough, it would have felt better had they only had one song you really fell for. The songs are constructed around the guitars and keyboard lines. The guitars are quite simple and not overly exciting, but they keep pushing the album forward, which is quite different to what you can say about the drums. I would have found drying paint less anonymous if you'd presented me with the pair. The more personality is found in the lyrics then, which are distinctly presented by Nivas vocals. Love and that kind of things is a common theme within AOR but I don't think I've ever heard it presented as ridiculous as Oxygen present it on this album. Clearly a new low on how dorky it can be.

I'm guessing you're wondering about what's actually good with the album after reading this far and I can say that despite all negatives I've brought up there's still surprisingly much positive about it. The flow and go of the album is always good and I like the melodies in most of the songs as well, which makes very few of these 33 1/2 minutes feeling dull and dry. I actually feel it's somewhat disappointing that the album ends this quickly but at the same time I don't really feel I wish for more material either. A bit unusual though that there are room to spare, because more often I feel it's the other way around. The reason why I don't like it more is simply because the lack of individual performance. This is true both looking at individual songs and individual musicians performance, but it's still an album that sounds good overall. Another album like most released these past years - decent and maybe even good, but nothing special and it doesn't feel like it feels a void or contributes with anything new.

To conclude it, I think what we have here is another album that dedicated AOR fans will love and is worth your attention, even though it hardly revolutionize anything or convert anyone. Already a fan of AOR? Then you won't be disappointed if you decide to check it out! But the question I can't help to ask is why you would play this album if you're already an AOR fan? There is so much good AOR out there already and even though this album is decent in every way - why would you chose it before any of them?

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