Eight years after their last studio album, "Walking On A Thin Line", Guano Apes are back with "Bel Air", their fourth album containing twelve new songs. Old fans will almost instantly notice that Guano Apes are somewhat less aggressive and musically more mature. The first single released from that album. "Oh What A Night", suggests exactly that. More refined and melodic riffs is what one will clearly hear from that song. And Sandra Nasic's voice is also less gritty. As for her I'm really happy to see her back. She looks more mature and feminine and above all sexy than before and I give her a big thumbs up for that. As for the boys they've done some great works with their respective side projects. If you haven't heard them I suggest checking IO and Tamoto. The overall tone of the album is more melodic and rock compared to the previous three. As a fan of the band since "Proud Like A God" I was kinda disappointed when I first heard the new album. Not that it's bad or anything but to be honest I expected to sound like the previous one. There's no board anthems, no mighty screaming, no heartfelt ballads. Instead there's a clear turn to more rock-ish sound and experimentation in that direction. The new Guano Apes sound good, really good to be precise but it's not the old one that I'm missing. With this new album Guano Apes clearly distanced themselves from their alternative roots and opted for more mainstream approach similar to the likes of The Killers. This will most surely win them new fans but old ones might be little bit disappointed. I'll advise anyone especially fans of the old albums not to proceed with this album as with the others and to expect it to sound as the first three simply because they'll get something different which might not appeal to everyone. However if you take it as something completely different (which to some extend is) then you will enjoy one very well done rock album, one that will surely be appreciated by most rock fans in general.
Indeed a good album 4/6
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