NEXX (1999-2007) was one of the bands that helped the melodic rock and AOR resurgence in the 2000’s, one of the few female fronted acts from the genre at that time. Based in Spain but with an European projection the band performed at prestigious festivals like Gods of AOR, Firefest, Nemelrock, and supported artists such as Jeff Scott Soto, TNT, Firehouse, Tyketto, Mitch Malloy, among others.
With English lyrics and a sound akin the ’80s melodic style, NEXX released two albums ‘Colours’ (Now & Then Records, 2003) and ‘Another Dawn’ (Angelmilk Records, 2006) receiving well deserved positive reviews and embraced by fans of the genre.
Both CD’s became out of print, hard to find, and now the members of NEXX are reissuing their music 2023 for our listening pleasure.
And there’s an additional treat; NEXX’s ‘lost album’ titled “Otro Amanecer“. This is the previously unreleased, alternate version of their second CD ‘Another Dawn’ planned for 2006 as well, but never materialized. Angelmilk Records folded some time ago and the master tapes were lost. But a copy buried in HDD has been recently found, and the album is being finally released.
The music tracks are the same from ‘Another Dawn’, but the vocal parts are completely different. The lyrics are in Spanish language, and while this may limit the audience to spaniard audiences, listening to this version will appeal all AOR fans.
It happens that Patricia Tapia, singing in her native language with different metrics, finds a new room of expression, more varied vocal nuances. A good song is always a good song, and all tracks on “Another Dawn / Otro Amanecer” are really good.
Nexx’s debut ‘Colours’ was critically acclaimed and the band’s accompanying live performances were raved about. So the band had a lot to live up to with their all important second album. ”Another Dawn” pick up where they left off with ‘Colours’ and deliver another mega-smooth, perfectly executed, slice of mature adult contemporary AOR.
The band have kept upon the same path set they set out on with their debut, but maybe with an even more refined sound than before. The group obviously matured together and while the smooth ‘AOR factor’ is the core of “Otro Amanecer”, it is not without some energy and some rocking guitar work.
The record kicks off with the most uptempo rocker of the album. ‘Ser Crítica’ is classic European AOR with a fine vocal from Patricia Tapia and a hook big enough to hang your hat on.
The angst filled ‘Ya No Hay Sitio’ features a more subtle guitar riff and some superb harmonies throughout. Lyrics are different from the English version of the song, and the vocal performance more dramatic, adding nerve to the song.
‘Punto Y Final’ is an interesting track. The hook is far from immediate, but rather embedded within the song and more obvious with repeat listens. The song features a nice mix of keyboards / guitar and a very solid and clear lead vocal.
‘Punto Y Final’ is nothing short of a beautiful female fronted AOR ballad. Soft and sultry and better and better each listen. The vocal charm is instant and the addition of strings and prominent piano parts makes for AOR brilliance. Here, Tapia voice is much more emotional compared to the English sung track on ‘Another Dawn’.
Lovers of timeless female fronted AOR / Melodic Rock will love “Otro Amanecer” as much as its counterpart English version ‘Another Dawn’. While the songs are sung in Spanish language, the good thing is that there’s other vibe, other feeling in the vocals, and in some cases, even work better.
Quality is quality and these are stupendous AOR songs featuring some very strong songwriting and detailed production.
It’s great to see this lost album finally released.
HIGHLY Recommended
01 – Ser Crítica
02 – Ya No Hay Sitio
03 – Punto Y Final
04 – No Hay Vuelta Atrás
05 – Aún Sigo Aquí
06 – Perdida
07 – Otro Amanecer
08 – Volverá
09 – Mil Llagas
10 – Despertar
11 – Tu Luz
12 – No Hay Vuelta Atrás (Reprise)
Patricia Tapia – vocals
Bernardo Llobregat – guitar, backing vocals
Jose Angel De La Banda – bass, backing vocals
Francisco Rodriguez – keyboards
Oscar Perez – drums
with:
Bill Connor – string arrangements
Danny Vaughn – backing vocals
Steve Overland – backing vocals