An album filled with classy Melodic Hard Rock, strong vocals and killer musicianship.

For one reason or another, the first album from Lover Under Cover took friends Mikael Carlsson (bass/keyboards) and Mikael Erlandsson (vocals) almost thirty years to record. In my review of that original album, I said I hoped it wouldn't take another thirty for album number two to surface.

Thankfully LUC have listened and almost twelve months to the day since the debut was released, we have the band's sophomore release 'Into The Night'. Once again we have an album filled with classy Melodic Hard Rock, strong vocals and killer musicianship. Once again the two main protagonists are joined by Perra Johansson and Imre Daun on drums and Escape Music's go to guy Martin Kronlund who handles the guitar and production duties (which are both excellent).

As mentioned previously, the first album by the band was written over a lengthy period of time, so that is why, to me at least, the latest one has a tighter and more polished sound than the debut. It has more of a band feel and because of this; the songs are bigger and more vibrant than those on the first release, despite how good it was. Check out the back to back hard hitting 'Into The Shadows' and 'Miracle' where you can immediately hear this new vibrancy and marvel at just how good a band LUC are. Also when an act can keep things rocking along with other, catchy as hell and well played songs such as the superb 'Crushing Stones' (which has the album's best hook and guitar solo within it), 'Playboy No.7', 'Fantasy Man' and the riffy 'The Game Is On', then any Hard/Melodic Rock fan will know that they can buy this and not be disappointed at all.

Lover Under Cover might have taken a long time to get going but it looks like they now mean business and if they can keep on making albums of this quality then I for one will be a happy bunny.

Ian Johnson