A great voice can carry a band, especially in the world of hard rock, where autotune and other enhancers are the unequivocal kiss of death for listeners accustomed to singers with the talent of Jimi Jamison or Ronnie James Dio.

Sunstorm is a music project originally created by Frontiers Records for singer Joe Lynn Turner, best known for his work with Rainbow and Deep Purple. The band released five albums before Turner exited the enterprise, leaving a void recently filled by Ronnie Romero, a Chilean singer noted for his associations with numerous bands, including Rainbow, the Michael Schenker Group, Lords of Black, and Vandenberg, among others.

Swan Song is a strong showcase for Romero, who sings with all the necessary passion and power. It’s a fittingly sturdy melodic rock number that fits nicely in the Sunstorm catalog. And it doesn’t hurt that Romeo is backed by a solid band, including guitarist Simone Mularoni from the Italian metal band DGM.

Some longtime Sunstorm fans are bemoaning the belief that the band is not the same without Turner’s involvement. That’s a rather unforgiving attitude. Judge the music on its own merits – not on the participation of people unavailable or missing from the recording.

Swan Song appears on the Afterlife album, which will be released on March 12, 2021.