First of all the year is 2020, the fact that we have a brand new FM album to talk about is, in its self surprising enough and second of all, it sounds like they haven’t missed a beat on Synchronized their 12th studio album and follow up to 2018’s Atomic Generation.
The band has seen quite the resurgence since their 2010 comeback having recorded four original albums, released a re-recorded/updated version of their debut album, and recorded a live CD/DVD to boot. Couple that with a pretty solid touring schedule, to the surprise of absolutely no one the band are just as on form as they ever have been.
The new album Synchronized sets the tone quickly with the title track of the same name, somehow managing to walk the line between their signature AOR style mixed with the revamped sound of their more modern releases. Something that also needs to to be acknowledged straight off the bat is that vocalist Steve Overland at 59 still has that silky smooth voice that stands out on every single vintage FM release. As he powers through the next track and personal favourite ‘Superstar’ for me, this is a perfect example of what FM is all about in 2020.
That being said, don’t worry, there is plenty to get excited about if you are looking for a taste of the more classic FM; tracks such as ‘Walk Through The Fire’ and ‘Broken’ are again a reminder of what brought them to the dance in the first place. A lot could be learned from FM by their peers, this is how you come back from a nearly 15-year hiatus and prove to the world time and time again that you are still just as relevant now in the hard rock AOR scene as you were back in the day. The album comes to a triumphant close with fist-pumping anthems ‘Angels Cry’ and ‘Ready For Me’ this is an all killer no filler release that I can see being on repeat for me this summer.
Synchronized by FM is out now!
