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Palace – Masters Of The Universe (Frontiers)

Genre: Hair Metal/AOR

Michael Palace populates a place that’s far from fashionable but a whole lot of fun: an environment built on the past but built to last.

His celebration of outrageously overblown pop metal is as pleasurable as it’s risible and if it’s possible to cope with the proliferation of cliches then Masters Of The Universe is almost magical in its madness.

Skip to track two and Cool Runnin’ could easily slot in alongside any of the hits that made Whitesnake’s 1987 such a commercial smash. It’s pure, unadulterated Coverdale, post-hair metal makeover. And that’s just the start.

There are authentic flourishes of Toto-esque AOR but it’s when main man Mick channels his inner Leppard, Europe and Cinderella that the real fun starts. (Mr) Big choruses and even bigger solos recreate an age when excess was best and you’d get nowhere without a mane to match White Lion’s Mike Tramp.

Frontiers continue to do a sterling job relaunching the careers of the genre’s greats and giving the new breed their chance to shine. Palace may sound like a band out of time but they also sound reassuringly like a band on the cusp of the big time. So good it hurts.

RUSHONROCK RATED: 10/10 Masters Of The Hair Metal Universe