This is very underground and still so interesting. HIGHER POWER was an American Christian AOR band that released their only (?) album back in 1989 on the Pan-Trax Records label. There are 11 tracks on the CD and a few them are really top-AOR songs.

Opener "Man of sorrow" is good quality midtempo AOR/Radiorock that sounds like WHITE HEART. But it's the two following tracks that are making this release so interesting. First there is "Love you forever" which is a bit techno-AOR like PETRA on their 'Back on the street' album. There is a pure AOR chorus like SWEET COMFORT BAND on this fantastic classic AOR song. The other track is  "Now I believe" which is pure classic 80s AOR with really a terrific sound. The keyboards are making this song a winner and gave it a sound like ROBERT TEPPER (circa 'No easy way out'), STAN BUSH&BARRAGE, FAIR EXCHANGE, TRANSFORMERS soundtrack, ROCKY 4 soundtrack... This song sounds like one of the ultimate AOR songs!

The rest of the CD is not so sensational, but still enjoyable to listen to. There are a lot of calmer AOR ballads such as "Cast a light", "Rock on which I stand", "His name", "I know" and "One day". These 5 songs sound like a mixture between ILLUSTRATOR, THE MAX and WHITE HEART.

There is also some hi-tech Poprock/Radiorock in the RICK CUA style. Examples are "Jesus make me whole" and "Give it all" (also some 80s MICHAEL BOLTON influences).

Concluded a good CD with some sensational parts and a few relaxing parts that are just nice to hear. I would recommended if you like bands such as WHITE HEART, RICK CUA, ILLUSTRATOR and for a couple of songs also a PETRA fan can enjoy this.

It's very hard to get a copy of the CD of this American Christian AOR band, but if you contact Robert Pancur from TARGET RECORDS at the following e-mail address: Pancur@pfaffenwinkel.de , I think he can help you getting a copy on CD probably. Besides, Robert can help you getting every Christian AOR release available.
 

(Points: 8.5 out of 10)