HARTMANN: Out In The Cold

Choice Of The Month May 2005
Cover	Release	Style
	2005-04-25	melodic rock / aor
	Label
	Frontiers
	Website
	Oliver Hartmann
	Contact

	Playing Time	Cat. N°
	52:29	FR CD 236
	Review by	Rating
	Edwin	9,5/10
nederlands	Review
If you only know Oliver Hartmann from his former band At Vance and his parts in metal operas like “Aina”, “Avantasia” and “Genius”, this album might be a major surprise. The music on this first solo album has nothing to do with metal whatsoever. It’s a collection of great aor and melodic rock tracks and –to come right to the point- it’s an incredible piece of music. Oliver Hartmann is a great singer, that much is clear. He’s got the warmth of a Jimi Jamison, the power of James Christian and the soul of David Coverdale. Survivor and House Of Lords are also two bands I was reminded of when listening to this “Out In the Cold”. His guitar playing is pretty good as well. Hartmann is backed up by some fine musicians, of which Bodo Schopf (MSG, Eloy, Sweet), is the only familiar name to me. Lots of incredible tracks on this album, starting with the highly melodic “Alive Again”. The next one, the title track, is one of the most awesome songs I have heard this year. A fantastic melody, great, emotional singing, bombastic orchestration and excellent background vocals. If there were any justice in the world, this should be a HUGE hit. Just when you think it can’t get any better, there’s “Brazen”, a cover of the Skunk Anansie song, which gets a goosebumps treatment by Hartmann. Yes, I must have died and gone to heaven. The rest of the album is hardly less impressive. Great melodic rockers, emotional ballads,… there are absolutely no fillers on this near-perfect album. Just listen to “The Same Again”, the Survivor-like “I Will Carry On” and “Can You Tell Me Where Love Has Gone”. Outstanding! “Out In The Cold” leaves me a bit stunned; it’s an amazing record, which comes more or less out of the blue. I’m sure this will turn out to be one of THE aor/melodic rock albums of the year… and beyond.
Musicians
Oliver Hartman: Vocals, guitars, keyboards Bodo Schopf: Drums Armin Donderer: Bass Jurgen Wust: Keyboards Ina Morgan: Background vocals Miro Rondenberg: String arrangements
Tracklist
Alive Again Out In The Cold Brazen The Same Again I Will Carry On What If I How Long The Journey Who Do You Think That You Are Listen To Your Heart Can You Tell Me Where Love Has Gone Into The Light


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