Hole in the Sun

Hole in the Sun, released after a gap of several years, is an album that reaffirms the momentum of the post-reunion NIGHT RANGER. It keeps the melodic sense built over a long career while, in keeping with the work of this period, taking on a somewhat more modern and forceful guitar-rock texture. It shows a reunited band unwilling to rest on its 1980s legacy, instead trying to find its place within the contemporary rock scene. Through the changes in lineup, the band’s foundation of big choruses and catchy hooks stays entirely intact. Jack Blades and Kelly Keagy’s vocals carry accessible songs, and Brad Gillis’ guitar tightens the record with solid riffs and solos. Overall, a beefier rock sound with a lower center of gravity stands out, more than the glossy arena rock of the early years. Updating the weight and tone for the times while not losing the easy listenability of melodic hard rock is the album’s virtue. Balancing a heavy guitar sound with melodic accessibility, it conveys a veteran’s composure and an energy still pushing forward at once. It was not blessed with a major hit, but it laid the footing for the serious reappraisal to come.