Angel arrived in the mid-’70s with a high-powered debut. From that point of release the band issued four more well-received albums (not including the live set – Live Without A Net – 1980) before calling it a career with most of the original members still intact. Eventually, a new Angel album arrived in the late ’90s (In The Beginning – 1999), but did not regain the interest of fans.
Recently, Punky Meadows released a solo album (Fallen Angel – 2016) with several of the original band members. With reformations of classic bands rising, Meadows and DiMino brought back the name for a new run at it. In keeping with the nomenclature history of the band’s album titles, Risen became the new Angel set.
Risen is stuffed with 17 songs, two of them re-records of previous tracks originally found in the 1975 debut (“Angel Theme”, “The Tower”). For this album, the two song inclusions seems intent to bring past fans back into the fold with curiosity, and then showing them what the current Angel band is capable of.
For me, Risen does admirably well. Using a harder edge for their new sound, this incarnation of Angel delivers an updated sound and style while donning the past for its stage. The songs on Risen stand up remarkably well and will definitely provide fans with a sincere effort that is deserving of attention.
The 2019 Angel is a strong unit of musicians that take up the mantle for another legitimate run. I’m impressed.
I managed to get my hands on a copy a week before its official release. I have their original 4 albums and I feel “Risen” holds up well next to their earlier work. A lot of reunited groups new material sounds overproduced. Too slick. Angel still sounds like Angel. A worthy addition to their catalog.
Randall D. Coe says: These guys are way better than Kiss and Aerosmith. What do you think?
They are quite good!