Emerald Rain - Short Sighted
AOR Heaven
Melodic AOR / Hard Rock
12 songs (47'45)
Release year: 2003
AOR Heaven
Reviewed by Marty
Surprise of the month
This is the first time I'd ever heard this band and from what I hear on this new album, Short Sighted, I like what I hear. Using a style that is straight out of the 80's, Emerald Rain produces the kind of catchy hook-laden hard rock that came from that decade. Emerald Rain hails from Toronto, Canada and if you're a fan of fellow Canadian rockers Harem Scarem, chances are that you'll like Emerald Rain as well. The Harem Scarem connection doesn't end there, Emerald Rain has recruited former Harem Scarem drummer Darren Smith into their ranks.

Most tracks on this album are guitar driven AOR style hard rock. Lead vocalist Murray Daigle has a great voice and really sounds a lot like Zak Stevens (Savatage, Circle II Circle). If you like strong melodies, there's lots of that here too. Great building vocals styles and some amazingly catchy choruses result in lots of tracks that just stick with you for days. The great melodic choruses this band uses on this album really have a style and feel that reminds me of such bands as .38 Special and Survivor. Fans of the band Waysted may remember an album from 1987 called Save Your Prayers with the amazing Danny Vaughn on vocals. That album was a great mix of guitar driven melodic hard rock with great soaring choruses and lots of melody. This album reminds me of that particular album in many ways. The band manages to capture more of a Queensryche atmospheric sound on a couple of tracks and there's also a couple of slower ballad style songs. There's no shortage of solid lead guitar on this album either with a style that is both flashy as well as very expressive depending on the overall mood of the track

Upon reading about this band, I find it to be a shame that they are getting virtually no recognition in their home country of Canada. The musical climate is much like it is in the U.S. and bands like Emerald Rain get ignored for playing so-called "outdated music". Being from Canada myself, I'd love to be able to support bands like this and I'd certainly travel to see them play live if they sound as good as they do here on this album. The problem is, with lack of local promotion, they have to travel to Europe and Japan to play to their fan base.

There's nothing really new or earth shattering about this band, it's just that they sound so good and are the type of band that grabs you right away. I'd love to be walking into a bar someday with some friends and be treated to a band with this type of sound. It's great feel-good hard rock. Fans of bands like Harem Scarem, Bonfire, Firehouse and of great catchy hard rock should check this band out. They have a great, instantly likeable sound, they write great songs and there's lots of outstanding melodies and choruses on this album. I really like this album a lot and I find it dominating my CD player lately. Great job and from a fellow Canuck.....keep up the great work and good things are bound to happen.....

Killing Songs :
Second Sight, Wanted To Believe, Everyday Hero, Need To Fly and Ever After
Marty quoted 80 / 100
Other albums by Emerald Rain that we have reviewed:
Emerald Rain - Perplexed In The Extreme reviewed by Chris and quoted 75 / 100
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