Super Eurobeat 182

1.Jeff Driller - Superfast Tokyo Drift (HI-NRG Attack)
This new trend of placing a HI-NRG Attack song on the album opening spot just seems to be going on and on. In the end the placement of the songs on the album isn't exactly that important, but it's nice to be getting SEBs with slightly different structures as well. Superfast Tokyo Drift is a standard faire from the HRG garage. Lots of hyper synths, combined with the immediately recognizable vocal work. You already probably know if you're gonna like this song or not. I'm not too convinced by this production, there isn't exactly anything wrong with it, but it just repeats the safe formula maybe a tad too closely, a few more daring changes might've given this track some extra drifting power.
Rating : 7½

2.Irene - Love Is The Name Of Love (SCP)
After the magnificent Let's Fly Together I gotta admit I started to gather some hopes for this production as well. Love Is The Name Of Love may just be one of the more bulkily titled tracks, but it doesn't fortunately suffer from any other negative points in the production. The vocals are sung with such fierce power that you can't help but get swayed by the speed. The track does feature some very Blast!-like features and it is showing a rather interesting new direction for SCP females, since I at least would very warmly welcome this type of hyperness on SEB. The way the song builds up intensity slowly and blasts into full force during the chorus is definitely one of the main reasons why I like this song so.
Rating : 9½

3.Magika - Planet Love (Time)
I've learned by now that Avex does tend to write bulky English inside the SEB booklets, but I do gotta say that this track (and album in general) might have had one of the worst examples of Engrish. This track has some really funky lyrical work presented to us by Avex. The few incomprehensible paragraphs on this song made me giggle quite a bit while typing the lyrics into the database. Well rewind back to the actual song... Time's slightly different direction with the new titles like Magika is a nice fresh breeze for the label, since it does offer a wickedly addictive and catchy different kind of Time. Planet Love follows the path of Dancing To The Moon and it's built rather similarly, but due to the fact that we haven't really had many of this type of Time songs it doesn't feel at all like a rip off. The fast background melody and intense synths build a strong base for this track, nice way to carry on this new style.
Rating : 8½

4.Ace Warrior - Demon (A-Beat C)
Since the album was released on Halloween, I guess it's just logical that there's at least one song with even slightly Halloweenish lyrics. Demon has been built by the general eurobeat standards and naturally as it's an A-Beat C male performance it features some wicked electric guitar solos that steal the whole show this time around. The track has a very strong and memorable melody over all and that combined with very aggressive and catchy vocals this track gets close to being one of the best Ace Warrior performances ever. The speed just keeps increasing!
Rating : 9+

5.Fastway - Overdrive (SCP)
If you get Ennio singing a song titled Overdrive you should know exactly what you're getting. Maybe a bit too much... I thoroughly loved the energetic Go 2 performances on 181, but for some reason Overdrive just can't compete with the recent releases. The song flows on with a steady fast pace and the sounds are full of energy, but it feels like the puzzle is missing that last piece. The biggest flaw with the track to me is the annoying hollering in the chorus after each sentence, at first it sounded rather cool, but it started to get annoying way too fast. The track is blessed with good verses and melody, but the chorus just drags the whole show down for me.
Rating : 8-

6.DJ Force - On My Radio (Time)
I haven't exactly been the biggest fan of Gambogi ever, although I haven't exactly disliked him either, but getting him on multiple new Time titles is slowly getting under my skin. So DJ Force is yet an another Time male title that follows the line of other Gambogi's aliases. I tried hard to love the song as it does feature a strong chorus and good melody to back the song up, but there's just some distinct sound to it that doesn't really please my ear. Not a bad song, but just would be better with slightly cheerier mood to it.
Rating : 7+

7.Powerful T. - Fight All Night (A-Beat C)
What's with placing all of the songs with rather odd lyrics on this album? I don't quite follow the line "Nothing better than a big big fight", but I guess it's nitpicking and doesn't really matter much since it's eurobeat and all that... Ever since Original Sin was released I've unconsciously compared all of the Powerful T. songs to it, and yet have found anything that compares with it. I know the reason behind loving Original Sin was that it featured a sound world that is slightly more fitting to the A-Beat C females that I usually love so much. So to my disappointment Fight All Night is the typical male track with guitars, masculine vocals and fast speed. Nothing necessarily wrong about it, but it just can't quite catch my attention as well as I'd hope.
Rating : 7

8.Miky MC - Because You Live (Time)
Time really has some obsession going on now about covering songs from various musical areas. This time a song by Jesse McCartney is covered by Christian De Leo, the possible reason why this song has been covered is due to the fact that it was a huge hit in Italy and succeeded well on the charts. The song sounds very distinctively different than most of the stuff on the album, so it's pop-music roots can be heard easily through. Classic eurobeat synths, effective vocals, a rather effective original to work with and some Time magic equals a rather well done cover which sounds a lot more effective to me than the original at least. All around fun stuff.
Rating : 8+

9.Kelly T. - Shining Like A Lucky Star (A-Beat C)
A very Time-like piano intro opens up a truly magnificent piece of work. The newly introduced A-Beat C vocalist is starting to remind me of Susan Bell in more than one ways, she's getting rather nice songs that just don't for some reason become big hits, although I myself enjoy them thoroughly. Also the style of these two titles is very similar. Shining Like A Lucky Star sounds like a funky hybrid between a Norma Sheffield and a Nuage song, yet it also sounds rather different than either of the two. A beautiful song, with a very soothing instrumental segment that totally steals the show.
Rating : 9+

10.Melissa White - Everlasting Fire (SCP)
Wow, was the first word I got out of my mouth when I heard this song for the first time. The track starts with a slightly off-key intro but suddenly explodes into action that competes strongly with the aggressive Go 2 performances, but Melissa totally steals the show with magnificent vocal work and the song just works perfectly in every damn way. If you love the faster SCP productions and don't mind female vocals, I can't think of many reasons why this track wouldn't be the next big hit for you, as for me this was a definite jackpot.
Rating : 10

11.Leslie Parrish - Paraboy (Delta)
Annoying intro, period. Catchy song, fortunately. Delta has finally gotten back to their full glory during the past year as their productions have been so damn solid time after time, and to me it seems like they've found some new inspiration since their productions offer very unique and different kind of sounds time after time. Paraboy is a very Suzy Lazy stylish production that doesn't really follow the earlier Leslie Parrish songs so well, but it doesn't really matter much as the track has been produced with very good taste and it's just irresistible to the fun loving eurobeat crowd.
Rating : 9-

12.Baby Gold - I Bet For Lovin' (HI-NRG Attack)
From time to time it feels as if HI-NRG Attack is putting all of their best work at making unique and catchy intros for their songs, as sadly the best part of I Bet For Lovin' is the well done chorus. This track just suffers from lack of real edge, it sounds like nice stuff you can have at the background while doing some work, but not necessarily like a track you want to specifically listen to and repeat over and over. Cute, harmless, fun, but not quite up there with the best.
Rating : 8-

13.Dany - Superman 2007 (Time)
Angie Davies' song Superman is definitely one of my favorite Time productions from the early 90's years. I unfortunately can't say anything even remotely like that for this remake. I honestly can't see anything, nothing, nada, not a single good side about this remake. It just sounds plain wrong, the sounds are horrific, Daniela's vocals are nothing bad, but this song needs Clara. If I disliked some of the earlier remakes, this one totally steals the show and gets crowned for the most horrific remake, it can be both the king & queen for all I care. Time to Superman: You gonna get raped! Superman bends... Sadly.
Rating : 4½

14.King & Queen - Speedy Runner (A-Beat C)
I had hyped myself a bit about this song after I heard the clip on Avex site, and to my disappointment the track opened up with a really boring intro that sounds nothing like the energy and fun I was expecting. But hold your horses, fast forward to the first verse that kicks in with soothing sounds and catchy vocal work by Annerley, all good. Pray for a catchy bridge: Check. And finally we're on the excellent chorus that swept me away as the preview: Yes, it still works well, even better than I was actually hoping for. I have to admit that still hearing Annerley as the vocalist for this group instead of Elena feels slightly disappointing, but I can't really complain with a track as good as this one. Maybe not really all around as well done as I was imagining it to be, but it still works very well and it managed to become of my favorites on the album.
Rating : 9

15.Dave Rodgers & Kiko Loureiro - The Final Game (A-Beat C)
Oh how I'm amused every time this track starts and I think it's Big Mig by Jackie 'O... It might be just me, but I keep hearing a very similar structure and style in the first 20 seconds of the song. The presentations from Giancarlo during the 170s were slightly disappointing (V.I.P. Is JP aside), so it's refreshing to see him getting back in the game with a nice song. If during the 160s he was able to pull of songs that were instantly bound to be hits, these days the tracks aren't as direct masterpieces but take a bit more listening before they start to open up. The Final Game is just like that: I didn't quite like it the first few times I listened to it, but by time I started noticing more and more little cool features in the sounds and the use of electric guitars of course adds up extra edge for the song. A nice song for the lovers of A-Beat C male productions.
Rating : 8½

16.Mega NRG Man - Rock On Fire (A-Beat C)
The fast pace on this album has been so damn solid that it took me quite a while to really grasp that this track isn't even from the faster end, although it feels like an overdose on energy drinks. A very obedient production to Tomas' style with good vocals, catchy chorus, some shouting, guitars and of course some fire as well. A good song to keep the eurobeat playing all around the world.
Rating : 8½

17.Cherry - Set Me Free (Delta)
If this album has some instant hits, nothing screams "Bull's eye" more than this song. The track starts off with a super intro and after that Clara takes us all for an energy packed rollercoaster-ride. Set Me Free is packed full of incredible energy and the whole show is stolen totally by Ms. Moroni's vocals. I can't really go explaining much about this song, it just puts all of the pieces together and creates a magnificent masterpiece, the kind of eurobeat that really keeps me coming back for more. Thank you yet again Delta!
Rating : 10+++++

18.2 Fast - Burning Up The Night (Total Fire) (Delta)
So, speed, I have asked for speed more than once on my reviews, and it's Delta who deliver! And wow, with such class and style. As people have pointed out, this production that hits an impressive 170BPM is one of the fastest eurobeat productions to this date, but it doesn't feel one bit too fast to my ear (maybe growing with Blümchen's productions and the unbeaten Hyper Sonic remix of Verrückte Jungs that hit over 200BPM have a thing or two to do with it). Aggressive vocals, irresistible chorus and super sounds, a perfect way to end the album. Just the way I want it.
Rating : 10

Final Words :
Oh wow, I had my expectations high for this album and gotta say that I haven't been too much let down. The album is basically one of the fastest Super Eurobeat albums over all, the songs keep clocking high BPMs over and over, and the impressive 170BPM at the end really did make my day. The 3 songs Delta presented on this album were so highly produced to perfection that I can't do anything but give the label all the praise I possibly can. Also A-Beat C has gotten back on the right track on this album with multiple catchy productions and all around a lot higher production level than what it was for some time in the past. I just hope they keep it up. If the raped remake of Superman wasn't featured, this would have been one of the few SEBs without any bad tracks, it's a shame it had to be here, and I again want to emphasize how much I dislike this remake. Great great way of carrying Super Eurobeat forward, plus the bonus disc is quite nicely mixed, now onwards to 183.

Final Score : 8½

The Best 3 Songs

- Cherry - Set Me Free
- Melissa White - Everlasting Fire
- 2 Fast - Burning Up The Night (Total Fire)

The Worst 3 songs

- Dany - Superman 2007
- DJ Force - On My Radio
- Powerful T. - Fight All Night

Honorable Mention

- King & Queen - Speedy Runner (Just because this had such a huge impact on me, crap intro aside)

Labels present on the album:

A-Beat C: 6
Delta: 3
Go Go's Music: 0 (:/)
HI-NRG Attack: 2
SCP: 3
Time: 4

Reviewed by Bore