The sophomore album from Norwegian singer Issa Oversveen picks up where her debut album left off. Nothing really has changed here. Too “rock” for the pop crowd, yet too “pop” for metal purists, “The Storm” is a conundrum. Is it a bad album? No. Is it going to end up on anyone’s top albums of 2011? Not a chance. That being said, Issa has a pleasant voice that fits the music that has been written for her. This time around, Issa has added the songwriting talents of Chris Laney (Crazy Lixx), Robert Sall (Work of Art), and Magnus Karlsson (Place Vendome). On first listen, I immediately identified the writing style of Karlsson, AOR hard rock with classic melodies and a mix of guitar and keyboards. The album is well produced by Daniel Flores and Issa’s pleasant vocals are given center stage. The songs don’t really differentiate from each other. The song structures are pretty similar, following a guitar/drums intro and keyboard-laden verses and anthemic choruses. “The Storm” isn’t going to take over the World, but if melodic mid-tempo AOR with female vocals are your thing, I would recommend this album. If you’re expecting the next Simone Simons or Floor Jansen, look elsewhere.

Rating: 6.5