Midnight Phantom – Hollywood Dreams Review

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It’s been a really good time that I don’t hear that sound of fingers passing thought strings. The very first Metal albums had a lot of them and I don’t know how modern recording processes are able to erase them. The fan will notice it in the opening track “Forbidden Land” and “Children of the 80s.” This track I guess is the reason the fan can hear the sound as a homage to all the classics recorded of that decade. Well, in fact, it speaks for the album. I mean, “Hollywood Dreams” is all about the 1980s music in its harder facet. “We’re the children of the 1980s, the children of the 1980s, never too young, never too old” says the chorus. Ah, it reminds me that I am a child of the 1980s. Great homage, guys. Good times for Metal.

Needless to say that this year has been the Hard Rock/Hair Metal year. I would, but this album belongs to 2020. In fact, it’s an overdue review. “Hollywood Dreams” is exciting and sometimes frantic with some guitar riffs that makes the fan bang the head at large. A real Hard Rock album with all the pros and cons. In fact, the cons are always related to what the album really is and this is a great Hard Rock with all its features: melody, intense and catchy choruses, sharp guitar solos, and a singer that actually sings. Pay attention to some tracks that flirt with NWOBHM as “Order 666,” and others that are pure fun and party. Title track “Hollywood Dreams” is also a track that explains very the album and the time Midnight Phantom belong at heart. This album is just perfect for whom loves and appreciates this so controvertial style. I can’t see an Extreme Metal fan listening to it and enjoying. Simply can’t. The image that comes to my mind is this fan going right to “Heroes Never Die” and its emotional – for some cheesy – chorus and content. I can even imagine the face of disdain to say the least. It’s just that the album is for the young at heart, the ones that love music with finesse mixed with some roughness. “Hollywood Dreams” talks at the same time to the heart and to the guts.

The combination of catchy choruses and sharp guitars is the stapler of Midnight Phantom and “Hollywood Dreams.” For many it’s one more album that tries to emulate the golden era of Hair Metal, for others is an album that tenderly reminds an era. For the first ones, the album just doesn’t matter; for the second ones, it’s the album.

Midnight Phantom “Hollywood Dreams” was released on December 11th via Midnight Phantom Productions.

Track Listing:

  1. Forbidden Land
  2. Human Race
  3. Where I Belong
  4. Children of the 80s
  5. Save Me
  6. Order 666
  7. Hollywood Dreams
  8. Heroes Never Die
  9. Silent Hunter
  10. Voices of the Past
  11. No More Lies
  12. Local Hero
  13. World Between Worlds

Watch “Hollywood Dreams” official video here:

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