Sweet - Full Circle (2024)

I have to issue a warning first: I will be extremely prejudiced when typing this review, as THE SWEET were one of the first musical crushes I had in the first half of the seventies, together with MUD, THE RUBETTES and SLADE. That is right, we are talking over 50 years ago! Later on, when the original four split up, they became ANDY SCOTT'S SWEET, then back to THE SWEET. And now they just are SWEET. And yes, they are still going strong, and touring quite a lot in the process. I know, the only original member still active in this line up is guitarist Andy Scott, but as the rest have passed away, and the band keeps being successful, who can blame him. And to set the record straight, yes, I have been following them all through the years. I have seen them live a number of times, the most memorable show was when they were the support band for RAINBOW in 2017. That was in London in the O2 Arena.

Now we are going to talk music. First of all, after so many years you can't expect SWEET to be the same as you might remember them. “Full Circle” brings you over 41 minutes of Melodic Hard Rock and AOR songs that all have one thing in common; they are bloody good. In fact, they are really much better than I anticipated when I started listening to this on my laptop, then on my headphones and finally also in the car when going to my appointments. Every song is strong, with good singing, convincing voices, good playing by the instrumentalists and not forgetting the very apt and atmospheric guitar solos that cover this album. SWEET have really outdone themselves.

Please don't compare them to the hit machine they were in ther seventies, but think more of the quality Melodic Rock bands you know. “Full Circle” can easily compete with them, if you ask me. Oh, and if you wish to hear the kind of harmonic vocals like they did when they had all those hits you will have to go the the heaviest song available here, which is “Destination Hannover”. There you will hear the four octaves being used simultaneously. And even though I say that I am biased to a fault, I just can't find anything wrong on “Full Circle”. Every song is really is top notch in my ears. I can only emphasise that I am extremely surprised by and happy with SWEET on “Full Circle”. By MetalWim Van Grunsven