Don´t know if I can write an unbiased piece about this band, as I know them personally. Fred Hendrix (singer, recording, producer and principal songwriter) produced the first 2 albums by my band Chinawhite and our drummer Hans played for Terra Nova in the early days and also did other work for Fred. Guitar player Gesuino Derosas I consider to be one of the best players to ever emerge from these shores, and his playing here is more proof of that. Rounding out the band are Fred´s brother Ron on keyboards and Lars Beuving on drums. All members perform backing vocals as well, and they are important to the band´s melodic sound.
Causing quite a stir with their first album, especially in Japan, I feel Terra Nova have gone from strength to strength. Fred is not only a nice guy, but also writes easy accessible tunes that sound familiar in an instant. Some may say that it´s on the save side, other will say he strives for creating melodic rock songs that are ready for the masses. What no one can deny is that every album delivers the goods. From the beginning Fred has had a clear view of what he wanted to achieve, and he has never let that out of his sight. I admire him for that.
Influenced by the sound of acts like Journey and Foreigner, whether in ballad style, or with the rockers present (some are surprisingly heavy). It sounds great as usual, backing vocals are huge, and when he gets some space, Gesuino shreds or plays a melodic solo with impeccable feel. Not for every hour of the day maybe, but always tasty when called upon!
