Band:	Vandenberg
Album:	Heading For A Storm
Style:	Hard rock
Release date:	1984

01. Friday Night
02. Welcome To The Club
03. Time Will Tell
04. Different Worlds
05. This Is War
06. I'm On Fire
07. Heading For A Storm
08. Waiting For The Night

Fans of 80s AOR may know Vandenberg for minor hit "Burning Heart", but it is more likely you are aware of main man (for whom the band was named after) Adrian Vandenberg for his tenure with Whitesnake. Those of you who have no idea who the man or band are, are in for a treat; Vandenberg's Heading For A Storm is a solid album of rock and roll with guitar heroics that elevate it above the glut of 80s releases.

Heading For A Storm may be an obscure album but sometimes digging for treasure will reap vast rewards and that is what you get from the second release by Vandenberg. A somewhat short run time of thirty-seven minutes is a mixed blessing; though every minute is enjoyable, you find yourself left wanting more.

With songs like "Time Will Tell", which is a solid song that contains a great solo by Vandenberg, you will notice just how catchy the band are, as you will be singing the chorus long after the song has ended. "This Is War" has a grandiose opening before leaping into attack and is spearheaded by an up-tempo rhythm that drags you along throughout. "Rock On" has a riff very reminiscent of "Hell's Bells" by AC/DC, but the band twist it just enough to put their own stamp on proceedings and produce a strong moment that will find you nodding along subconsciously.

Vandenberg is a guitarist of great skill, never losing sights of his bluesy roots as he plays the role of flashy guitar showman that was de jure for any 80s band. Given the band is named after himself, it should come as no surprise that his guitar work underpins much of the material on the album. Heerink's vocals have the perfect balance between professionalism yet also sounding copiable, which leads to much cat wailing as you sing along with him. Stuart Epps' production balances every facet of the band's sound perfectly, with the songs sounding lively, rising and falling naturally with the song structure.

The band do stray very close to the line between inspiration and copying other bands' styles on some occasions, with the aforementioned "Rock On" sounding similar to AC/DC alongside "Different Worlds" sounding like Foreigner. Add into the mix an overarching Journey/UFO vibe threaded throughout the album, you do sometimes drift into "where have I heard this before" territory. While the band do maintain some distance from this line in the sand, it does at times take you out of the moment.

Heading For A Storm is well worth seeking out if you are in the mood for some good old rock 'n' roll, it may not change the world but sometimes having a good time is just as captivating. Vandenberg would only last one more album before breaking up; with their return with a new album this year, Heading For A Storm serves as a great primer for what is (hopefully) a band picking up where they left off.