Band:	Neonfly
Album:	Outshine The Sun
Style:	Power metal
Release date:	August 29, 2011
A review by:	Baz Anderson

01. Broken Wings
02. The Enemy
03. Ship With No Sails
04. A Gift To Remember
05. The Revenant
06. The Ornament
07. Reality Shift
08. Spitting Blood
09. Morning Star
10. The Messenger
11. I Think I Saw A U.F.O

In 2008, Neonfly turned a few heads with their fun and infectious EP Clever Disguise. Three years on; a few tours and a little re-shuffling with band members later, and we have the band's debut full-length release. Neonfly are a London-based melodic metal band that dabble in hard rock and power metal, and have a proven track record in pushing themselves forward delivering great live shows culminating in gaining themselves a slot at Bloodstock last year. Outshine The Sun then is a pivotal point for the band.

New vocalist Willy Norton is clear a welcome addition to the band's ranks, but in terms of progression and advancing overall, the band seem to have hit a stumbling block. All but one of the songs from the Clever Disguise EP make their way onto this album, which turns out to be more a case of damage limitation as the majority of the new material does little to arouse much interest. Older songs like "Broken Wings" and "Reality Shift" still sound great with their energy and ambition, and "Spitting Blood" is one of the better new songs with some good energy. The majority of the other new songs for this album are unfortunately bland, lack energy and are generally not worth the time.

The band have unfortunately lost their energy and conviction on this important release. Outshine The Sun is half worth it and half not, which means that you might as well have gone back to listen to their more concise and compact EP. Neonfly are a good band and especially exciting live, but this has not translated onto their debut album. Outshine The Sun is in the vein of a second-rate Pink Cream 69, which was not what the band's EP three years ago promised them to be now. There is still hope for this young London band, but this isn't the ideal way to kick things off.