After rising from the ashes with 1982's impressive , continued to pursue a similar combination of firepower and AOR sleekness on . This album lacks the consistently strong tunes and unified feel of its predecessor, but it still offers enough highlights to make it worth a listen. does best when it concentrates on songs that evenly balance power chords and hooks: cleverly balances a boisterous -tinged melody built on a pulsating bassline with plenty of powerful guitar riffing while layers its shout-along chorus over a slick backing that fuses programmed synthesizer lines with high-flying guitar work and relentless double-time drumming from the ever-reliable . However, occasionally loses the plot when it strays from this balancing act: works too hard to ape AOR conventions and comes off sounding faceless as a result, while is an ornate instrumental that doesn't really fit in with the rest of the album due to its lack of hooks and guitar riffs. The album also runs into problems in the lyrical department due to its overt AOR-styled reliance on the travails of love as its main subject matter (see and ). Despite these occasional shortcomings, manages to work, thanks to its consistent high level of energy. Even at its poppiest, the album throbs with guitar-fuelled energy: for a good example look no further than the band's cover of ' where the poppish quality of the melody is boosted into the stratosphere by a lengthy succession of guitar riffs and a relentless backbeat. In the end, 's adherence to AOR stylings may turn off some fans but there is enough energetic, well-crafted music here to please anyone who liked .~ Donald A. Guarisco