Album review: Social Disorder “Love 2 Be Hated”
Swedish multi-instrumentalist Anders “LA” Rönnblom teams up with Tracii Guns, Rudy Sarzo, Snowy Shaw and other stars in new classic hard rock project Social Disorder.
Swedish musician Anders “LA” Rönnblom has launched a new project called Social Disorder. The multi-instrumentalist plays guitar, bass and piano on the project’s debut album “Love 2 Be Hated” and is the project’s main songwriter. Among the many musicians contributing are guitarists Tracii Guns (L.A. Guns) and Jeff Duncan (Armored Saint), bassist Rudy Sarzo (Quiet Riot, Ozzy Osbourne, Whitesnake, Dio), Dave Stone (Rainbow) on keyboards and fellow Swede Snowy Shaw (King Diamond, Mercyful Fate) on drums. The ten-track album kicks off with “Windy Road”, a slow and solid track that is somewhat of a power ballad with a dramatic side to it. Rönnblom insists that “Love 2 Be Hated” is not a concept album (although most of the lyrics on the album are a journey through the difficult parts of his life), but the opening track has all the hallmarks of the beginning of a concept album. “Dreaming” is a powerful melodic hard rock song. Very catchy, full of energy and with great guitars. The title track “Love 2 Be Hated” is another terrific track and “Raise a Glass” has excellent Jon Lord-like keyboard wizardry (as does many of the songs on the album). “Sail Away” is an epic piece of music and perhaps the peak of the album. It’s slow-paced bluesy hard rock somewhere between Rainbow and Whitesnake. “Down on My Knees” is great blues rock and “Out of Love” is very Whitesnake-y. “The One” is a piano ballad which no doubt will have its raving fans, but I prefer the heavier side of Social Disorder. The album closes with the amusing instrumental track “Wings of Serenity” where we get some instrument worshipping and wankery, but it’s still a very enjoyable track. The two things that stand out for me on this album, in addition to the solid musicianship (which is expected considering the players involved), are the splendid songwriting skills of Anders “LA” Rönnblom and the excellent voice of Thomas Nordin, a Swedish vocalist that I have never previously heard of. Who is he? Where has he been hiding? I want to hear more of him.
Social Disorder’s album “Love 2 Be Hated” will be released on 18th June via AFM Records.
