It’s easy to see why Sweden’s Miss Behaviour have burst onto the melodic hard rock scene with such a flourish.
Complete with layered guitars and whoa-whoa backing, if opening track, 1988, doesn’t lay the band’s cards on the table firmly enough then Cynthia, a driving-paced, keyboard-rich, sugar-coated rocker renders their agenda crystal clear.
Citing Magnum, Journey, Foreigner, Yngwie and Europe as influences, the quartet play effortless-sounding, harmonious hard rock, overlain with great, accent-free vocals. The 1980s are freely celebrated here – Miss Behaviour don’t wear spandex or sport puffed-up hair, but they almost should.
Perfect War, which features a guest solo from former Helloween/current Masterplan guitarist Roland Grapow, reveals the group at their heaviest, but the importance of a memorable hook continues to exert its influence. Even when a song is stretched out to seven minutes long, a deliciously pompous duet between Roos and Kajsa Berg, your attention remains intact.
H.E.A.T. and Houston, you have rivals.
