Radiant – Written By Life

Radiant
Written By Life
Massacre Records
Out: April 22^nd, 2022
Playing time: 49:51

In life, there’s often just a fine line between happiness, pain, sorrow and fulfillment, and our ups and downs have made us who we are today. This album tells the stories of RADIANT’s personal and musical adventures, milestones, and tragedies.

Thus “Written By Life” is a concept album, written from real life. Each band member wrote down two to three personal stories. This was followed by joint songwriting in the rehearsal room. The band was founded in 2014 and the self-titled debut album was released four years later. Another four years later, the follow-up is now finished. The album was recorded, produced and mixed by the band’s singer Herbie Langhans. The final touches were provided by none other than Sascha Paeth.

Already the opening song “Nightshift” shows clearly where it’s going – Classic Hard Rock, presented without frills, with a strong basic heaviness. And I don’t think I need to say much more about singer Herbie Langhans. And so, it goes on. With “Don’t Stop The Daydream” the quintet goes one better. After a first rhythmic rest (“Real Passion Will Never Die”), they really rock out again with “Live The Adventure” and “Stand That Fight”. “Because Of You” is also one of the quieter songs on the album, an excellent, partly balladic stadium anthem. Also “Contagioned” contains balladic passages, but they are counteracted again and again by heavy riffs. “Rock And Win” is probably a motto of the band. Melodic Hard Rock, where the refrain invites you to sing along. The following “Dare To Fail” is in the same vein. Twice A Week” is another great anthem on the album.  “Hang Around With Friends” brings the album to a lively close. Once again there is a sing-along alert.

When I read the word “concept album”, I have bad premonitions. Too often the concept is placed above the music itself. Fortunately, that’s different here. On “Written By Life” the musicians fire off one hit after the other. This is Melodic Hard Rock at its best. In the eighties Radiant could have filled big arenas with their music. But those times are unfortunately over. The bottom line is that this is an album that delights from beginning to end.

Radiant – Contagioned (Lyric Video): https://youtu.be/nyKikYt6mIE

Lineup:

Herbie Langhans – Vocals
Carsten Stepanowicz – Guitars
Flo Gottsleben – Guitars
Markus Beck – Bass
Manni Spalka – Drums

Label: Massacre Records

Out: April 22^nd, 2022

Playing time: 49:51

Track list:

• Nightshift
• Don’t Stop The Daydream
• Real Passion Will Never Die
• Live The Adventure
• Stand That Fight
• Because Of You
• Contagioned
• Rock And Win
• Dare To Fail
• Twice A Week
• Hang Around With Friends