Shadowman, the band featuring Steve Morris (Ian Gillan/Heartland), Steve Overland (FM/The Ladder) plus Thunder's rhythm section return with their second album.

It carries on where 2004's debut album left off with a distinct Bad Company/FM feel to the music. This time though it is much more laid back with more blues influence (and thankfully not the boring blues rock peddled by latter day FM) and dollop of soul, mainly in Steve Overland's wonderful vocals. He really has kept his vocal power through the years and now sounds uncannily like Paul Rodgers at times (just listen to 'Dreams Die Hard' for proof).

'Chains' does lift the tempo being the only real hard rocker on the album, whilst 'Runaway Girl' is a superb mix of Overland's vocals and acoustic passages. Musically you can't fault the album with Steve Morris getting more guitar solos in this time around but without drowning out the melody.

A definite must for lovers of quality AOR, the lighter end of Bad Company and FM. Roll on album number three and be nice to see the band get out and play live.

****

Review by Jason Ritchie