REBIRTH

After the triumphant return with Circus Pandemonium (2014) and the following mini-tour, that was captured on Trifles And Pandemonium (2016), the A.C.T camp got quiet again. There were some shows in 2017, which I unfortunately wasn't able to attend and I, once again, got worried that the band would take a longer hiatus. Fortunately this wasn't the case and we got the first signs of life in early 2019 where Jerry Sahlin hinted about some new material.

Rebirth EP was released in April that same year, making it almost 5 years old at this point in time. I can't even count the number of times I've heard these five new tracks, since I got my hands on the EP, just around the time of the release date. The Ruler of the World was the official single and it definitely sounded like a classic A.C.T composition penned by Jerry Sahlin. While it might not be my favourite on the EP, it gave me goosebumps while listening to it just a few minutes ago. Things would get even more exciting with Running Out of Luck with a crashing intro following a bunch of twists and turns until we get to the pompous ABBA-esque chorus and a short guitar solo from Ola Andersson. These 3 and a half minutes are pure bliss to my ears and I highly recommend it as introduction to A.C.T and their sound, if you've never heard them before.

I was shocked when I heard Digital Affair for the first time and couldn't believe that the band when into electronica territory. Of course I was overreacting since this is another very strong composition and it definitely shines through despite all the effects and programmed drums. To me, this could potentially be the crossover hit that A.C.T have always needed in order to gather recognition from a wider audience. I sometimes image how this song would have worked if A.C.T performed it at Melodifestivalen (annual Swedish song competition which determines Sweden's representative for the Eurovision Song Contest). Not sure if the majority of the mainstream audiences would vote for it, in the competition, but I definitely think that many would see the strong qualities in the composition and performance, to garner A.C.T a new fan base. Too bad it's only a dream.

Meet the Past starts with an ABBA-esque keyboard melody which goes into Last Epic territory with verses and chorus. I especially love Peter Asp's memorable bass playing and another excellent guitar solo from Ola Andersson. A Broken Trust closes out the EP with a sombre moment and it makes sense that the track was placed last, since it also marks a clear transition to the sounds that will dominate the following Heatwave EP.

I cannot see how Rebirth can get anything less than the top grade from me. This is a 22 minute package of pure joy which I can highly recommend to anyone who loves strong melodic hooks and skilled musicianship!

***** star songs: Running Out of Luck (3:28) Digital Affair (4:11) Meet the Past (3:55)

**** star songs: The Ruler of the World (5:26) A Broken Trust (5:11)