Album Review: Voyager - Fearless In Love

You know, it’s somewhat of a sad indictment on the music industry that a band like Perth’s mighty Voyager only reach the level of worldwide recognition they deserve when they compete in what is essentially a reality TV talent contest.

Almost a quarter of a century together (the current lineup having been operating for more than a decade now), eight albums, countless tours, both here and abroad, creating music that is both highly accessible and full of depth, meaning and world-class levels of musicality and songwriting intelligence. They should have been a global household name by their second or third album. 

However, that’s how the cookie crumbles in this fickle industry, and one can only be glad that it’s finally come for them. Better late than never! (Of course, none of this is to say that they laboured in obscurity pre-Eurovision; they absolutely did not).

So what has the post-Eurovision kick produced for these legends? A titanic burst of extreme inspiration, that’s what. Fearless In Love is eleven tracks and around 45 minutes of pure catharsis and exhilaration. It is a soaring statement of intent from a band on a mission and enjoying every single living second of it. 

This band was already having a ball pouring all of their considerable creativity into their art; Eurovision has just enhanced that even further. And we, the fans, are the ecstatic beneficiaries of the end product of that process.

This album has something for just about everyone. If you like melodic metal, there’s plenty of darkness, riffs and heaviness to sink your proverbial teeth into (when Sean Harmanis from the legendary Make Them Suffer shows up to bellow his lungs out on what is arguably the best track on the album, Ultraviolet, you know Voyager are not mucking around).

If you like (good) pop music, both their Eurovision entries are at hand in all their considerable glory, 2022’s Dreamer and the one that got them through this year, Promise. If you like grandiose prog rock, emotional mid-set showstopper, The Lamenting and epic closer Gren (Fearless In Love) will satiate your desires in no uncertain terms.

If you like 80s music (and who TF doesn’t?), a vibe drenched in that era permeates and washes over much of the album, but especially on the fabulous Submarine (which is also vying for ‘Best Track On The Album’ honours, it veritably sends shivers through you) and the poptastic Daydream.

If you like high-level musicianship, songwriting and production, these things are present here in droves. All five members of the band and the production team they have put around themselves for the creation of this record are in blistering form here. 

This album is something very special. This band is something very special. We are lucky to have them. Get behind them (even though Eurovision is over), and support them. Buy this album. Go to one of their shows and buy some merch. Buy some of their merch online. Fearless In Love is one of the albums of the year, no question (it is very likely to be in this scribe’s top three at least), and should go down as an all-time Aussie classic.

Voyager’s Fearless In Love will be released on Friday, 14 July. You can pre-order or pre-save the album here.