Nineteen years for seventeen songs was worth the wait.  We last heard them in 1990 with their self titled debut album “Alias”.  They hit it off with their songs “Haunted Heart”, “More Than Words Can Say” and “Waiting for Love”.  Due to the music business at that time, AOR was slowly fading while grunge took the lead and so the band decided not to release their second album “Never Say Never”.  Now in 2009 we finally get to hear the long awaited album.

Apparently “Never Say Never” was recorded in 1992.  “Woman Enough”, “XTCOI”, and “How Much Longer Is Forever” are exactly what I expected and wanted to hear from the groups’ second album. Same goes for all the songs that are compiled on this album except for one called “Give Me a Reason to Stay”.  It is truly a nice song but bad choice for this album. Furthermore, what is an Alias album without its heartbreaking power ballads? If these songs had come out when they were supposed to, without the grunge scene in the way, we would’ve had another chart breaker with “All I Want Is You”.  Then we have the beautiful written “Pleasure and Pain”, “Perfect World” and “Into the Fire”.  One thing that is always a good “fan dragging” trick is to make an acoustic version of a song.  That is exactly what Alias has done as part of their bonus tracks with “When I’m With You” recorded live.

Anyone who liked the first album will definitely like “Never Say Never”.  Anyone who is an AOR- Hard Rock fan will like this album.  My only question is this: were seventeen songs necessary? They could’ve kept some for a third album along with some new material of the same musical mood. Don’t get me wrong because I believe this is truly a treasure, so don’t miss out on this great album.