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Voyager – Fearless in Love (Album Review)

Posted on July 5, 2023 by kjdraven

Voyager – Fearless In Love Released: July 14, 2023

Danny Estrin // vocals Simone Dow // guitar Scott Kay //guitar Alex Canion // bass Ashley Doodkorte // drums

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It’s an exciting time for Perth band Voyager . Fresh off their ninth-place finish in the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest ( recap here ) , the band embarked on a sold out Australian tour ( gig review here ) ahead of the release of eighth album Fearless in Love . They’ve timed the release beautifully to take advantage of the mainstream press that Eurovision brought them, but there’s a question of whether the new fans that ‘Promise’ has attracted will be into a full LP of synth-prog-metal. After all, ‘Promise’ noticeably turns down the heavy riffs compared to their back catalogue, so Fearless in Love has the delicate job of acknowledging long-time punters and satisfying those looking for a post-Eurovision fix. Thankfully the band is up to the task. 

Even though it doesn’t pop up until the album’s second half it is worth reviewing ‘Promise’ first. It’s easily my most streamed song of 2023 and elicits the same sing-a-long in my car that it did when it was released. The energy that Voyager put into on stage in Liverpool rubs off and the guitar solo into the keytar lick still rules. It is quite simply a banger and builds to the final minute where we can get a juicy breakdown and growl from Alex. It’s worth noting it is the same version that has been a single without any additional embellishments. As far as album centrepieces go, it is hard to beat. 

Those new to the Voyager world will be asking if there is anything to back up  ‘Promise’ and um, deliver on the, uh, promise of that tune. Their Australia Decides 2022 contender ‘Dreamer’ is here as the next track for Eurovision fans. It’s heavier than ‘Promise’ but has another great emotional hook. It builds through the synth but is much quicker to showcase the band’s metal riffs, making it a great bridge between their core sound and synth-pop leanings. The breakdown is more badass than I remember and Danny’s vocals are arguably even bigger. It certainly grabs your attention and holds it for the three minutes. 

There’s plenty of album tracks that scratch the 80s synth itch. ‘Ultraviolet’ sounds like a song from a Tom Cruise movie that time forgot with a quick tempo and a drum sound that owes more than a debt to Dire Straits . It’s got some gnarly modern guitar and a screamy cameo from fellow Perth native, Sean Harmanis of Make Them Suffer , who joins the party with an ominous growl.  It captures the glorious collision of influences in a way only Voyager can. ‘The Lamenting’ mines similar 80s vibes in a ballad form that serves as a nice change of pace, even if the hook isn’t as memorable as some of the other songs. Likewise ‘Daydream’ is more pop-rock than metal and would be a great single that will appeal to fans of ‘Promise’ . 

As an album Fearless in Love isn’t so much of a shift from their previous work, but a continued evolution from Colours in the Sun (2019). The fans who have been on the journey with them for twenty years will get a kick out of first track ‘The Best Intentions’ as it drips with spaced-out prog synths and keys. It jumps straight into the most recent single, ‘Prince of Fire’ , which is unmistakably a metal song with chunky djent riffs. Their great strength as a band is their ability to create a sonic scene that suits the lyrics, painting a musical picture that implants an image in your head. ‘Prince of Fire’ is a bleak dystopia, particularly when compared to the previously mentioned singles, capturing the solitude of the song’s protagonist. There is a cool interlude though so Danny can get his croon on before the big note. 

As far as prog-metal albums go, Voyager have loaded this with anthems. ‘Submarine’ has all the markings of an odd novelty song with a cute riff and big hook. The solo echoes Queen’s Brian May with Simone Dow dropping all sorts of tricky taps and whammy bends. But it’s a little darker than that when it gets to the final stanza and Alex screams that he is “coming up for air” . If there’s another Guardians of the Galaxy movie, this should be the end credits tune.

‘Twisted’ is a more electro take on prog-metal but also has a massive inspirational chorus that will play well live. ‘Listen’ also gets the Queen vibe right with plenty of guitar hero action. (Or as my wife just observed, it sounds a bit like Ghost , which is not a bad thing in my house.) Longtime fans will also get a kick out of the final track ‘Gren (Fearless in Love)’ . It’s much more of a traditional prog song with ethereal keys that sound transcendent in that space rock way. 

Voyager have successfully walked the tightrope between drawing in new fans from their Eurovision run, while rewarding longtime followers for their devotion. Fearless in Love has enough riffs, synths and hooks to catch the ear of anyone with a passing interest in 80s style rock and metal without ever sounding like a complete vintage act. It is certainly epic and accessible and demands a bigger audience than their recent club tour. I dare say I’ll be singing its praises among the best albums of the year. 

Voyager – Fearless In Love Tracklisting :

1. The Best Intentions 2. Prince of Fire 3. Ultraviolet feat. Sean Harmanis of Make Them Suffer 4. Dreamer 5. The Lamenting 6. Submarine 7. Promise 8. Twisted 9. Daydream 10. Listen 11. Gren (Fearless in Love)

Rating: 9 / 10 Fearless in Love is out July 14 via Seasons of Mist . Pre-Order here . Review by KJ Draven ( Twitter and Instagram ). 

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Fearless in Love

V [2023 Reissue]

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Promise/Dreamer

A Voyage Through Time

Voyager - 'Dreamer' Remix and Creator Pack

Colours in the Sun

The Meaning of I

I am the reVolution

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Get ready to witness a genre-transfiguring quintet take the stage like never before! Hailing from Australia, Voyager has shattered expectations with their resilient and determined attitude. The new album 'Fearless in Love' is next-level prog metal mastery that shatters all archetypes and expectations. Available NOW! ...   more

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Voyager's lead singer Danny Estrin reveals cancer diagnosis and cancels European tour

Australian progressive metal band Voyager's frontman, Danny Estrin, has revealed a "life-altering" cancer diagnosis, as the band cancels its upcoming European tour. 

Key points:

• Estrin, who is the Perth band's lead singer, shared his "life-altering" cancer diagnosis 
• The band has cancelled an upcoming European tour with hopes to reschedule in October 2024
• Its last performance will be at the America's Cup Event in Fremantle on Sunday

Estrin, who is the Perth band's lead singer, shared the announcement on the band's official Instagram account on Friday. 

"Last week I was dealt some life-altering news: I've been diagnosed with cancer that requires immediate treatment," he wrote.

"I am absolutely devastated that we cannot perform on our forthcoming European tour, especially after this incredible Eurovision year we've had.

"I am on strict doctors' orders to not take this lightly, put my health first and get this sorted so we can be on stage again as soon as possible." 

Estrin said it had been an "extremely hard decision to make" and the band's upcoming European tour would be rescheduled to October 2024. 

"Voyager will perform our last show for a while at the America's Cup Event in Fremantle, Western Australia this Sunday 24 September 2023, so come and party with us before I start treatment," he added.

"I'm surrounded by my incredible bandmates and team who are navigating all things Voyager whilst I am out of action."

The band was  Australia's lead contender at the 2023 Eurovision , making the grand final and eventually finishing ninth. 

The band has had its fair amount of changes throughout its lifetime. 

Voyager parted ways with bass player Jennah Greaig in 2004 and his replacement, Melissa Fiocco, was later replaced with Alex Canion after the release of the album uniVers.

In June 2008, guitarist Mark De Vattimo quit Voyager due to personal and professional differences.

Guitarists Chris Hanssen and Scott Kay and drummer Mark Boeijen soon followed.

A June Australian tour saw sold-out shows nationwide, with the Perth performance needing to move to a larger venue to accommodate demand.

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Australia’s Voyager rock through to Eurovision final

Perth synth-metal band voted among 10 winners of their semi-final in Liverpool, and will perform their song Promise in the final on Sunday morning AEST

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Perth band Voyager are through to this weekend’s Eurovision final after winning in the semi-final stage in Liverpool.

The Australian synth-metal musicians entered the stage on a car, before rocking out on the car’s bonnet with guitars and keytars as they performed their song Promise in the competition on Thursday evening in the UK.

They faced off against Albania, Armenia, Cyprus, Romania, Austria, Denmark, Lithuania, San Marino, Belgium, Slovenia, Iceland, Georgia, Greece, Poland and Estonia in round two of the semi-finals.

Australia will now compete against 25 other countries at the grand final on Sunday morning AEST, under a typically convoluted voting system that collates audience polls in Europe and – for the first time – around the world.

Becoming a part of the Eurovision family was a dream Voyager’s lead singer and keytarist, Danny Estrin, had for a lot longer than the seven years Australia has been part of the competition. On Thursday, he told Australian Associated Press that the band’s success had already exceeded their expectations, so they were not feeling the pressure to take out the trophy.

“You are fiercely competitive in some ways but in other ways, you’re just all there to have a good time and perform to the best of your abilities and it’s all about the music for the end of the day,” Estrin said. “Does it mean we don’t have what it takes to win it? I think we do.”

But if worst comes to worst, the group is philosophical.

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Alex Canion, the bassist, said: “We’re a progressive metal band from Perth, Western Australia, playing Eurovision in Liverpool. I mean, how could we ever consider ourselves losers in this?”

Unlike many competitions in life, a music contest can come down to tastes and on-the-day performance, the band said.

“We’re not running a hundred-metre race. Well we are, but we’ve all got different costumes on,” said Estrin, adding their finals costumes would be “extra”.

Canion agreed: “It’s so subjective. There’s no ‘who can perform the song fastest’.”

And with a potential final audience of 180 million viewers, the exposure is second to none, according to the drummer, Ashley Doodkorte.

“On the day, on the night, we all get that same three minutes in front of that same audience,” he said. “Everyone wins.”

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Eurovision should go some way to developing a global following for the band that has existed in one form or another for some two decades.

“This has all been an elaborate and highly effective album release strategy for our eighth album which comes out after we finish Eurovision,” joked Estrin, who is a part-time lawyer. “Already, up to this point now, we’ve already won.”

Denmark, Romania, Iceland, Greece, Georgia, and San Marino were sent home on Thursday night, with Malta, Latvia, Ireland, Azerbaijan and the Netherlands eliminated earlier in the first semi-final.

The “Big Five” countries – Italy, Spain, Germany, France and the UK – are given automatic spots in the Eurovision final.

Eurovision is being hosted by the UK this year on behalf of Ukraine due to the Russian invasion. Ukrainian hip-hop band Kalush Orchestra claimed victory last year.

Australia first competed in Eurovision in 2015, having been invited to take part due to the popularity of the song contest among European diaspora communities. Australia has been in the top 10 four times and is the second country outside of the Eurasia region to take part in the contest since Morocco competed in 1980.

Australia was granted permission to participate in Eurovision until at least this year. It remains unconfirmed if the country will be invited to participate again.

Australian Associated Press contributed to this report

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Rogan was approached by Danish commissioning exec Anders Bruus around four years ago, and noted “there hadn’t been any modern docs about ABBA” that reflected how doc storytelling had changed over the past decade. As a producer of “serious” docs, Rogan said he has repeatedly been asked, “Why are you making a film about ABBA?” since embarking on the journey.

“The challenge was the scale of it,” he added. “We discussed the project for a long time and it was always about trying to find the right shape.”

Having buy-in from Scandinavian broadcasters allowed the producers to challenge Anglo-American stereotypes and traditional criticisms of ABBA, which have held through the decades, according to Rogan. The team trawled through thousands of hours of archive, utilizing older interviews with the four-piece to overlay the footage.

Rogan cites an American interview with ABBA shown in Against the Odds from a journalist whose first question is: “You write the music, you perform it, doesn’t that make it all a bit ‘samey’?.”

“This [interview] was in America in the midst of them being the biggest selling artists in the world producing difficult, complex music, and this is the type of question they were getting,” said Rogan. ABBA struggled to conquer America, and it is notable that The CW is airing the doc later this year.

The production team wanted to showcase the stumbling blocks ABBA experienced in their early years, such as the two couples’ divorces and protests by hundreds and thousands of Swedes that took place in Sweden the year after the band won Eurovision. Ostensibly, these protests were targeted at the government for failed cultural policies but they were led by a progressive music movement that opposed the success of bands like ABBA.

“We were quite shocked when we found out about the protests,” added Rogan. “I knew [ABBA] were seen as ‘not cool’ but I didn’t know that transpired in protests and nasty, belittling language.”

ABBA Voyage

Over the past few years, ABBA’s popularity has been given a second wind with the smash hit London performance ABBA Voyage, in which avatars of the four performers sing through their catalog in an impressive spectacle, which is rumored to be launching in Vegas.

Rogan said Voyage’s popularity has tapped into a “form of collective memory,” a similar feeling he gets when producing landmark music documentaries .

“There is something about [Voyage] and the place where ABBA’s music exists in our lives,” he added. “Everything about Voyage feels like it could lead to a cold experience, but then you go and everyone around you is just weeping.”

With Against the Odds, Rogan hopes his team has landed an innovative funding model that could help it compete with the streamers in a genre replete with high-end premium fare.

“This is a way of creating premium PSB TV docs in a way that offers value to all,” he added.

Commissioning editor Bruus told Deadline the feature is “testament to the strength of storytelling in bringing together communities across Europe.” “ABBA’s music knows no boundaries, and neither does the spirit of collaboration showcased by the European TV stations joining forces for this unprecedented broadcast event,” he added.

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