Promise by Voyager.
Sometimes you have a national final, pick a winner, and the song that was the runner up feels more popular. Such was the case for Australia last year when Voyager’s Dreamer felt more championed by the fans than Sheldon Reilley’s tortured ballad Not The Same. With the selection show cancelled for 2023, for an ambiguous “variety of factors” looking back to your closest also-ran must have proved a tasty option, and here we are, with Voyager heading to Liverpool this May.
Voyager is a progressive metal band with considerable pedigree and 7 studio albums over a 24 year career. They find themselves lining up as part of 10 all-male bands or duos out of 37 acts this year. [Correction: I’ve now realised one of the members is a woman – my apologies to Simone.] Although you can often rely on acts who blend a more pop sounding melody with a harder metal sound you have to wonder whether participating this year, in this line up, has been the most fortunate of calls.
A metal-head friend has already expressed interest in their selection, suggesting the group has an international profile within sub-genres of music at least. However it’s been pointed out that they’re rather light on hits even in Australia and, well, UK fans can tell you all about sending an artist who can’t even chart on home ground.
But what of the song? Well, it has that melodic rock sound and optimism of reassurance when a lover holds you in the moment. I don’t dislike it but there’s little of a call to vote despite enough to enjoy in the moment. A lively performance could elevate this on stage, and I’ve no doubt it will be fun in the hall, but I’ve equally no doubt this won’t be troubling the upper end of the scoreboard.
My marks: 5 points
Heya! Just a correction on this part:
“They find themselves lining up as part of 10 all-male bands or duos out of 37 acts this year.”
Voyager aren’t an all-male band. Simone is a mum who rocks one of the guitars, and often gets forgotten in articles.
So I thought I’d politely point it out. 🙂
Cheers!