Review | Strangers – Boundless

Frontiers Music S.r.l.

There’s a moment, just before the house lights go down, when the crowd hums with anticipation. You can almost hear hearts syncing to the pulse of what’s about to happen. Anticipation rases, adrenaline pumps. `Boundless’ feels like that moment stretched across an entire album. Strangers don’t wander in, they stride onto the stage of your imagination and set up shop with the poise of a band who knows exactly who they are and where they’re headed. `Boundless’, the band’s 4^th album shines on many accounts, and announces the band’s path for the future. It is heavier, it packs more power, and it had matured in style and delivery.

CELIA BARLOZ

From the pitch, Madrid’s finest embrace their melodic hard rock heritage with open arms but refuse to get trapped in nostalgia. Instead, they sharpen the edges, boost the adrenaline, and give those classic virtues a coat of fresh, high-gloss finish. The songs feel matured and seasoned, with an impressive urgency encapsulated. The guitars on ,,Into the Night” are crisp without losing its heavier grit, the bass guitar hits like a heavyweight fighter ready to rumble, and the drums strike a balance between driving force and excellent dynamics. Strangers deliver songs that stick, soar, and make you want to hit repeat before the fade-out.

Celia Barloz commands attention with a voice that wears her emotions. Her crystal clean and piercing vocals cut through the heavy potion, even though they are way too present in the mix. Barloz can caress a melody tenderly making it feel like a confession, then turn and belt with the conviction ready to take the roof off the venue. Her versatility and vocal register are what stands tall, amid the boiling melodic rock and metal hooks. The tracks are compact, brisk, and radiate melodic metal devotion, adding to her range and radiance.

ROCK ‘N’ ROLL SNARL

,,Enemy” is where the band leans into its rock ‘n’ roll snarl. The riffs snap like cracking a whip, the rhythm of bass player César Chacón and drummer Abel Ramos digs in deep, and Celia spits the lyrics with just enough venom to evoke turmoil. There’s a safe side packed in the core, but it captures great momentum in its delivery.

Seizing the higher paces momentum, songs like ,,My Dreams”, with excellent melodic pitched vocals, ,,Worth a Shot”, proves Strangers aren’t afraid to let the music breathe. Here, restraint becomes the weapon of choice. Riffs blast the song forward, cymbals crash. Sparse verses give way to a chorus that opens like a fist, with Barloz balancing the frailty with melodic discharge. The guitar solo feels more like a conversation than a contest, it is tasteful, articulate, and brimming with feel.

,,The Fate is Gone” and ,,Language of Love” remind us that this band knows exactly how to kick down a door. It’s unbridled swagger and adrenaline, with a chorus begging to be roared back at the stage. The interplay between bass and drums here is tight as a spring, giving the whole track that irresistible forward momentum.

A CLASSIC BUT FRESH APPROACH

,,Freedom” and ,,Goodbye” are slowing the pace, displaying the frail side of melodics. Power packed and with enough drama to tower in its choruses, both are instantly attracting, with Celia crooning in sultry. Topping the emotional bridge the mid paced, progressive hooked ,,Youthful Souls” brings a fine state of emotion and heaviness to the front. Guitars intensify for the greater good, as the song picks up on its momentum.

,,Still the One” is her absolute knockout punch in this set, a double bass propelled, hook-laden fist pumper that blooms into a chorus that nests immediately. Guitarist Miguel Martín threads the song with harmonies that echo the great melodic riff furies of arena rock of the 80s, but he never sounds like they’re chasing ghosts or pays homage merely copying best practises. His approach is classic, but fresh and scorching. He’s literally chasing his own fire. Martín to me is what makes this album tick. His creativity cements the songs with slick dozes of melody and riff-heavy tracks. Check out the jagged pull in ,,Lose Yourself”, building towards the chorus.

STRANGERS – THE CONCLUSION

What makes `Boundless’ a solid album is the cohesion between emotion and execution, especially in its instrumental depletion and discharge. Every player knows when to shine and when to melt into collective glow. The lyrics frequently lapse into cliché, but the arrangements and melody lines ensure there’s always something new to catch on its following listen. There’s a lot to enjoy, and I hate to admit that the feeling is somewhat ruined by the full-frontal mix with Celia’s vocals way in the front. Her razor-sharp pitches, with little to no reverb, take quite some pleasure out of this album’s great set of songs. Please, please remix!

`Boundless’ is a fine addition to the Strangers catalogue that musically is sharpened but needs balance.

Release date: 22 August 2025