Angel – Once Upon a Time

Once Upon a Time, in the mid 70s to be exact, God sent down from the heavens a band of 5 rock n’ roll warriors clad in white. Their mission was to spread the gospel of rock n’ roll across the globe, and with a bombastic stage show to boot. The band was called Angel. After 5 albums and endless touring, the band retreated back to the heavens, eager that they would one day rise again to play their heavenly music for a whole new generation of “Rock and Rollers”. Alas, that day came 40 years later.

Equipped with a new lineup, classic guitarist Punky Meadows and singer Frank DiMino bestowed upon the masses Risen (2019). It was an album that many believed would never happen. Not only this, but it was shockingly very strong. Despite all their decades out of the hard rock limelight, Meadows and DiMino proved they still had the goods on their respective instruments, and were capable of penning new compositions on par with the old. Its only downside was its tedious 75 minute running time, but hey, when you’ve been gone for as long as Angel has, chances are you’ve got A LOT to say.

Fast forward a few years, a slew of packed shows, and a global pandemic later, and Angel continues to stand tall with the sophomore outing of their reunion era, Once Upon a Time. Once again, Punky, Frank, and the rest of the gang have walloped us with an entertaining collection of tunes that lie somewhere between hard rock, prog, and power pop, with musical tropes and production straight out of 1977. Any other band this daring would likely run the risk of being labelled musically schizophrenic, but hey man, it was the 70s. Post-Beatles, experimentation was key, and bands like Angel (and City Boy for that matter) made their bones on deviating from the status quo (normalcy, not the band).

The strongest moments on Once Upon a Time run the musical gamut. Heavy rockers like “Psyclone” and “Without You” showcase Punky Meadows’ knack for weighty riffage and smokin’ hot solos, slaying the posers who dismiss him as merely a pretty face. The epic “The Torch” channels the regal pomp of the band’s debut, grabbing the listener by the throat with its over the top arrangement and old school musical nuances, while “It’s Alright” is absolute 70s arena rock bliss, only missing 20,000 denim-clad burnouts with their fists pumping in the air. And then there’s feelgood slabs of power pop like the carefree “Turn the Record Over” and tongue in cheek “Daddy’s Girl”, both of which sound like lost songs from the Sinful era.

While already a band of talented musicians, the new Angel has grown even tighter on Once Upon a Time. I specifically can’t emphasize enough the performance of keyboardist Charlie Calv, whose larger than life key lines and zany synth noises recall those of the legendary Gregg Giuffria in his prime. Like Risen, there are a few cuts here that don’t cut the mustard, but I can’t get too mad, especially considering Angel aren’t trying to be something they aren’t. These albums aren’t rehashes of what once was, but rather a continuation that does their legacy proud. Let’s hope they keep it up for another 3 albums, if only to match their initial quintology.

7 out of 10

Label: Cleopatra Records

Genre: Hard Rock

For fans of: Deep Purple, Starz, New England