Kev Rowland
Just a week after the band kicked off the tour to support ‘Aeromantic’ Covid hit, everyone got sick, and dates were cancelled. They soon realised the lockdowns were going to be there for a while but instead of sitting there feeling sorry for themselves the band went straight into writing mode to work on the follow-up. Given that both David Andersson and Björn Strid are also in Soilwork it must be hard to separate the two both artistically and in time, yet somehow, they manage it, and Strid in particular revels in this band as it allows him to approach elements musically which he would never get away with in his main band. Mind you, given that TNFO have been nominated for two Swedish grammies, can they really still be considered a side project, especially as they have now been around for 10 years, and this is their sixth album?
It is hard to describe exactly what TNFO, but it is solid Seventies with some American influences, music designed for large stadiums. What 10 CC might sound like if they hit everything harder perhaps? Björn is the focal point, with some wonderful female harmonies providing support, while the rest of the band rock on without ever getting too over the top. Unless one knew the background, one would never imagine that behind this are some solid metalheads, as there is never any threat of the band taking anything too far in a metallic direction, but rather this is about solid performances with great hooks and guitars that are never too far away. “You Belong To The Night” even contains a heavy dose of disco! There is no doubt that yet again we have a collection of radio-friendly songs which are enjoyable the very first time they are played, and anyone into Seventies style commercial rock would do well to seek this out.