Singles Roundup: Nordic Union, Ozzy, Taylor Swift, & Ascendia

Let's dip into the pool of new singles once again.

Nordic Union – In Every Waking Hour

I was excited to hear a new Nordic Union album was on the way. Of the projects Erik Marensson is involved in, this is the one that has satisfied me the most. His sugary writing being paired with Ronnie Atkinson's gravelly voice is perfect in a way Eclipse can't be, and they come out of the gates with another winner. They straddle the line between rock and metal, as does Ronnie's voice. That's true both of the music and the vocals, and it explains why this works so well. What could be a fluffy little AOR song sounds so much more powerful, and it's that power drilling it into our heads. They haven't failed yet.

Ozzy – Patient Number Nine

I know, I know, I shouldn't even be talking about this. I hate Ozzy as much as ever, and there's no way I'm going to say he sounds anything more than alive as a vocalist here, but I am rather surprised to find the song itself isn't so bad. No, it doesn't really sound that heavy, and it isn't befitting the 'Price Of Darkness', but it's far better than the material he was putting out in the Zakk Wylde era. If anyone else was singing it, I might just recommend this one.

Taylor Swift – Carolina

Oh Taylor, all good things come to an end. "Folklore" is absolute genius. "Evermore" was still really good. Continuing on that path for this new song has gone further than ever into the sparse folk sound, and what got removed was all of the interesting Taylor-ish melodies. The sound is the same, but there's so little to the composition here, I was zoning out even before the first chorus hit, which was not nearly strong enough to bring me back. The winning streak is over already, as Taylor can no longer make indie sound interesting.

Ascendia - This War

It's been quite a while since Ascendia put out their one and only album, which was one of the best albums that somewhat fell under the prog-metal umbrella of that time. With amazing songs and strong baritone vocals, they were something unique. That record is still fantastic, so having them finally return should be a welcome development. Well.... this song doesn't sound anything like that Ascendia. Gone is the melodic approach in favor of something more modern and hard-hitting. Even the vocals don't sound the same, almost as if they're being sung an octave higher. I don't get this at all. Everything I loved about them is gone, and this replacement sounds almost generic. What a shame.