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"OPTIMISTIC STATE OF MIND"

Was released on the 24th July 2020. Our own brand of Melodic Rock, made in the UK for the whole world to enjoy. Below you'll find the reviews we have already collected from UK magazines. We hope you enjoy our music on whatever platform you discovered it on and like it enough to buy a physical copy from our Stormshop which will support the band in our quest to record the next album which is already taking shape.










Review by Darren Iliffe.
LOUD ENOUGH? Magazine Group 2021
Tokyo Storm Album Review Loud Enough? Magazine Group
"OPTIMISTIC STATE OF MIND"
The debut album from Tokyo Storm is ten songs of melodic AOR/drive time rock. And it's aptly named too, with the sound being bright and warm with an optimistic feeling to it. It has pop catchiness without pop flimsiness; these are meaty tunes and there is plenty of variation here to keep the ear interested. Vocals are mellow on the slower songs and every word is clearly audible but he is capable of belting out the notes on the rockier numbers. Joe Bartnicki�s playing has plenty of feeling while the rhythm section of Bob Peach and Jason Edwards is solid and rounds out the sound nicely. Optimistic State Of Mind and Tune are gentle upbeat, feel good rockers that get the toes tapping. Is This Love, Stormy Night and Lady Darkness are slower and romantic numbers that drift into ballad territory but without the over sentimentality that some achieve. Kill The Machines gets a bluesy rock groove going and bounces along. Fire In Your Eyes is a hard rocker with a catchy riff and upbeat tempo while Summer Feeling is fast rock, bright and bouncy and perfectly catches that... Summer feeling. Album closer Signals is an epic instrumental, atmospheric yet mellow and melodic as the theme evolves.

Tokyo Storm Album Review LOUD ENOUGH? Magazine Group 2021
Review by Mark Donnelly
FIREWORKS Magazine Issue #91 2020



Readers with a good memory will remember my friend and fellow Fireworks' reviewer Dave Crompton raving about this opus back in Issue #83. 'Optimistic State Of Mind', the debut album from British melodic rockers Tokyo Storm, was initially scheduled for release back in 2018; however, due to a variety of reasons the opus never saw the light of day, that is until now. Those who know Dave, know he's not quick to hand out praise, especially to Melodic Rock/AOR albums; not of course, unless it's warranted. Well, having listened to this release multiple times, I concur Mr. C's approbation of this opus is duly justified. For an independent release 'Optimistic...' boasts a great production. For the most part the songs switch between Melodic Rock to more traditional, laid-back AOR, all with an undoubted British feel. It all centres around the beautiful guitar tones of guitarist Joe Bartnicki and the smooth and relaxing vocals of Ben Green (it's nice to hear a singer stay within his limitations). They are ably supported by the tight rhythm section of bassist Jason Edwards and drummer Bob Peach. Opener and title track, 'Kill The Machines' and 'Summer Feeling' are your standard Melodic Rock fayre, whilst 'Is This Love' (an original, not the Whitesnake classic), 'Tune' and 'Stormy Night' veer towards more traditional AOR, where I think the band are at their best. My personal favourites are the two outstanding, atmospheric ballads 'Silent Obsession' and 'Lady Darkness', where the aforementioned guitar tone and tranquil vocals really come to the fore. The album, however, does throw in a couple of curveballs, which some may feel a little strange, but in my opinion adds to the overall listening pleasure. Firstly, the hard rock of 'Fire In Your Eyes' which sounds like a glorious fusion of UFO's 'Rock Bottom' and Saxon's 'Strong Arm Of The Law'! Secondly, the album closer 'Signals' is an eleven-minute instrumental with a light Progressive Rock vibe, which begins with a Magnum ('Don't Wake The Lion') vibe before developing into a more laid-back Alan Parsons-esque feel. One of the few highlights of the annus horribilis that is 2020, has been the plethora of high-quality Melodic Rock releases, of which Tokyo Storm's 'Optimistic State Of Mind' should be included. Highly recommended. Mark Donnelly

Review TOKYO STORM - 'OPTIMISTIC STATE OF MIND'
(Independent) AOR
TOKYO STORM 'OPTIMISTIC STATE OF MIND' (INDEPENDENT/UK IMPORT)


Tokyo Storm Album Review Stuttre Magazine

There are quite a lot bands out there waiting to be discovered and TOKYO STORM from Birmingham, UK happens to be one! They are an excellent sounding Classic AOR band with an authentic 80s British AOR sound like we know it from bands like AIRRACE, FM, LIONHEART, STRATUS, PRAYING MANTIS, VIRGINIA WOLF, MORITZ, ATLANTIC, PASSION STREET, WALK THE WIRE (very close to that band, also vocally speaking!), etc. etc. As soon as the album opener and title track Optimistic state of mind is playing, I was immediately impressed by the incredible high quality of this uptempo AOR rocker, because everything sounds perfect here, including super strong melodic clean vocals, a catchy hook, a melodic chorus and a soaring guitar, so basically, this is how real AOR should sound! Thankfully the rest of the album continues this incredible high level, with as highlights the superb pure 80s Classic AOR of Is this love (JOURNEY/STRANGEWAYS ish), the uptempo melodic rocker Kill the machine, the amazing soulful 80s smooth AOR ballad Silent obsession (even reminding me of SHELTER, PREVIEW and FRANKE & THE KNOCKOUTS and featuring a beautiful JOURNEYesque soaring guitar solo) and the catchy uptempo melodic rocker Fire in your eyes (with an 80s DOKKEN, STRYPER, VALENTINE, ICON, KING KOBRA ish classic hard rocking guitar vibrato). Closing track Signals is the only song that steps away a bit from the AOR sound because this is a 10 minutes counting instrumental rocker with a few prog influences. Anyway, the band has a superb soulful singer (Ben Green) who has a PAUL RODGERS vibrato, while the 2 other members are drummer Bob Peach and Joe Bartnicki, who plays Guitar (and bloody well I can assure you!), Bass and Keyboards. I am quite overwhelmed here by this album, because it is a sensational independent release that easily beats a lot of the AOR label releases. These guys are playing the real classic 80s AOR sound, so make sure to get yourself a copy of their album! More info at https://tokyo-storm.com/ (Points: 8.9 out of 10) (Points: 8.9 out of 10) .

Tokyo Storm Album Review in fireworks Magazine issue 83


"OPTIMISTIC STATE OF MIND"

The debut album from Tokyo Storm is ten songs of melodic AOR/drive time rock. And it's aptly named too, with the sound being bright and warm with an optimistic feeling to it. It has pop catchiness without pop flimsiness; these are meaty tunes and there is plenty of variation here to keep the ear interested. Vocals are mellow on the slower songs and every word is clearly audible but he is capable of belting out the notes on the rockier numbers. Joe Bartnicki�s playing has plenty of feeling while the rhythm section of Bob Peach and Jason Edwards is solid and rounds out the sound nicely. Optimistic State Of Mind and Tune are gentle upbeat, feel good rockers that get the toes tapping. Is This Love, Stormy Night and Lady Darkness are slower and romantic numbers that drift into ballad territory but without the over sentimentality that some achieve. Kill The Machines gets a bluesy rock groove going and bounces along. Fire In Your Eyes is a hard rocker with a catchy riff and upbeat tempo while Summer Feeling is fast rock, bright and bouncy and perfectly catches that... Summer feeling. Album closer Signals is an epic instrumental, atmospheric yet mellow and melodic as the theme evolves. Music Industry Magazine Reviews

Tokyo Storm Album Review by Dmitry M. Epstein
TOKYO STORM - Optimistic State Of Mind Tokyo Storm In search of exhilarating matter, British band's high-spirited debut makes a stand against everyday greyness. TOKYO STORM - Optimistic State Of Mind TOKYO STORM - Optimistic State Of Mind Perhaps, it's a mere coincidence that the acronym of this album's title sounds like "awesome" - but it's surely what the Midlands ensemble behind it strive for. Criminally unsigned, the quartet demonstrate a great potential, and the listener must be hooked on the band's mood immediately, from an uplifting a cappella lead-in to the record's titular opener whose AOR resolve is nicely anchored with heavy riffs which leave enough leeway for choruses to try and levitate. Problem is, there's not a lot of inner development in any single piece, so the songs sometimes threaten to outstay their welcome, although pop-minded numbers such as "Tune" are rather riveting and slow cuts like the epic "Silent Obsession" are brimming with righteous romanticism - that's why basically every other track on display is a ballad. Ben Green's voice imbues "Lady Darkness" and "Is This Love" with soulfulness and Joe Bartnicki's sun-kissed strum makes it all even more lucid, yet heaviosity seems to serve the group quite well, what with vocals and six-string harmonies feeding the well-grounded rock 'n' roll of "Fire In Your Eyes" and "Kill The Machines" rendering these smashes highly infectious. Still, the most unexpected offering is saved for last, for the 11-minute "Signals" to reveal the entire expanse the ensemble are capable of when they chose to unhurriedly explore progressive sensibility in instrumental terms. Optimism should take this band far - that's the spirit which will break any barrier out there, the spirit so enjoyable here and now.



***2/3 Dmitry M. Epstein .




Review by Dean Buckley
chesyrockreviews.com


AOR is dead! They say not if Tokyo Storm, a new Midlands based rock quartet have got anything to say about it. I say, don't get me wrong here, its not reinventing the wheel or it isn't anything you've heard before; it is however like an old pair of slippers - familiar, comforting to listen to and dare I say it warming for the soul. The opening track sets the tone for the album and as titled even for a jaded old Melodic rock listener like myself leaves me in an 'Optimistic State Of Mind', (see what I did there). A delightful mixture of mid paced rockers, the likes of 'Is This Love' with a great vocal performance from Ben Green, or the tasteful power ballad 'Stormy Nights' (the woman who slept with Donald Trump) with some nifty fretwork from guitarist Joe Bartnicki. The rhythm section of Jason Edwards and Bob Peach keep the whole record positively bouncing along. A personal favorite is the delightful 'Silent Obsession'. Comparisons I'll leave to others, but what I will say is that Tokyo Storm have a classic Brit AOR sound think along the lines of Lost Weekend or Iconic Eye for example, all the songs are self penned originals, and the craftsmanship for a new band is top notch. The production is quality, leaving the listener to enjoy a warm rich sound that suits the Melodic fare on offer. However I offer a word of warning....avoid the last track the 11 minute instrumental 'Signals'. I can only assume writers block had set in by this point and honestly it's a damn shame such a great album should end in this way. The track is about as welcome as a fart in a lift ....Don't let that however put you off what is a nice addition to the UK ranks of AOR/ Melodic rock bands .







Richard Wall, Sonic Bandwagon and
Author of the novel, Fat Man Blues
Tokyo Storm Album Review by Richard Wall

Congratulations on your album,
it's a quality product and you all should be proud of it. For those of a certain age, the very mention of AOR (Adult Oriented Rock) brings back memories of 1980s MTV Rock Videos featuring a skinny, spandex-clad guitar hero atop a butte in Monument Valley at sunset, waist-length hair flowing in the wind as a helicopter appears behind him (there was always a helicopter in MTV rock videos). The 1980s was its heyday and AOR bands such as Toto, Foreigner, Journey, Asia and Yes (the Trevor Horn version) ruled the airwaves and TV screens until, inevitably, music trends changed and AOR sank without a trace. Well now it's back. Tokyo Storm are a four-piece band from the Midlands, who are making waves on the Worcestershire music scene with their debut album, 'Optimistic State Of Mind', a collection of ten original songs with an even spread of driving rock songs and power ballads that offers something for everyone. The album opens with the title track, a blistering, supercharged V8 engine of a song, which sets the tone for all that is to come, and, in this reviewer's opinion, is good enough to stand alongside any AOR classic from yesteryear. Releasing a debut album of original AOR material is a gutsy move, but it's clear that OSOM is very well-produced. Each of the ten songs is crafted well and delivered impeccably. The standard of songwriting, musicianship, and production has resulted in a polished and professional-sounding debut collection, of which the band ought to be proud. Tokyo Storm are here to stay and have the chops to go on to bigger and better things. Can they resurrect AOR? With an optimistic state of mind, I rather think they can.


Richard Wall
By Keith James Sinclair
ELO Beatles Forever
The title says it all. Once you've listened to the debut album from new Midlands based rock quartet Tokyo Storm, you will enter into an "Optimistic State Of Mind" thanx to an impressive array of well crafted songs underpinned by the guitar craft of Joe Bartnicki, top class vocalist Ben Green, ace drummer Bob Peach and bassist Jason Edwards, their latest recruit. Admirers of the rockier edge of ELO, Paul Rodgers/Free, Journey, Whitesnake, Foreigner, Yes, Kansas and those classic American rock bands we all know and love will find "Optimistic State Of Mind" an approachable and familiar album blended with instantly likeable guitar licks, searching lyrics with meaning and the heartbeat of superb percussion. If the title track doesn't grab your attention, then the moody "Silent Obsession" and "Lady Darkness" will if not the jealousy tinged "Is This Love", the driving anthem that is "Tune" or elevated ballad "Stormy Night". "Kill The Machines" is a call to arms hard to ignore too. The song that makes this album and closes it is my personal fave, the wonderful eleven minute instrumental piece entitled "Signals". With elements of Pink Floyd and some superlative musicianship on display, it provides balance and a fitting album closer leaving the listener with a knowing smile that they have just experienced a stunning rock album from start to finish. Tokyo Storm are looking for a label to provide a platform for their music. The likes of Frontiers, SPV, Angel Air and Cherry Red would do well to sit up and take notice. A Tokyo Storm is coming! ____ Trax: "Optimistic State Of Mind" ~ "Is This Love" ~ "Tune" ~ "Stormy Night" ~ "Kill The Machines" ~ "Silent Obsession" ~ "Fire In Your Eyes" ~ "Lady Darkness" ~ "Summer Feeling" ~ "Signals" Tokyo Storm are: Ben Green (Vocals) + Bob Peach (Drums, Percussion) + Joe Bartnicki (Guitars, Bass, Keyboards) + Jason Edwards

Review By Rock Garage


Tokyo Storm Album Review by Richard Wall

TOKYO STORM from the Channel Islands hit their debut, consisting of Ben Green on mic, Joe Bartnicki guitar, bass and keyboards, Jason Edwards bass and Bob Peach drums, Bartnicki and Peach also responsible for the songwriting and production. AOR / Melodic Rock is offered, the songs are, with two exceptions, in the range of four and a half to six and a half minutes, one song is almost four and the last instrumental is eleven minutes. There are fun numbers and ballads to be discovered that are very catchy and stay in your head for a long time. It's not that easy to describe or classify TOKYO STORM, most likely a mixture of BAD COMPANY, commercial soft WHITESNAKE, BLOOD RED SAINTS, a little bit of CATS IN SPACE here and SURVIVOR there, all very well audible and presented with taste. It's kinda different, not a typical Frontiers or Escape release but just well-done rock music. On the first listen you think that the material is bulky, but this settles down on the second listen at the latest but the songs spark all the more on the third listen. The songs come out of the speakers fresh and fresh and unfold their genius. The guitars come through properly, the keys are used discreetly and there's nothing to complain about in Ben Green's voice, it all fits together wonderfully. Examples of off-track numbers are "Optimistic State Of Mind", "Tune", "Kill The Machines", "Fire In Your Eyes" and "Summer Feeling". The AOR moments are "Is This Love", "Silent Obsession", "Lady Darkness" and the last eleven minute instrumental "Signals", the ballad is titled "Stormy Night". Conclusion: A very successful debut that TS present, the sound is okay for an in-house production and still has room for improvement. I give it an 8.5 for this strong album.


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