White Hot Reflection

It's been five years since the last Space Vacation release, Lost in the Black Divide, which I was underwhelmed by. After I loved the shit out of their 2014 album Cosmic Vanguard, I was expecting great things from them again. Thankfully, this fifth full-length gets them back to what they are good at.

This is a band that has always fused classic metal with classic arena rock to make for an airy, catchy approach that sounds imported from 1983. You get big guitar riffs, wailing leads, and smooth, hooky vocal melodies. There are some first-rate songs here, like opener "Reign in Hell," "Playing with Fire," "Walk Away," "Being Evil," and a lot more. "Middle Ages" is silly, and as with every Space Vacation, there are a few too many tracks, and not all of them need to be here. This band always has the tendency to throw too much paint at the wall, trusting that it will stick, but a lot of it does. If you love classic bands like Riot and Vicious Rumors, or if you miss Wastoid as much as I do, then don't skip this.