Covenant [Limited Edition]

UFO | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 25, 2000)
• Original Release Date: July 25, 2000
• Number of Discs: 2
• Format: Limited Edition
• Label: Shrapnel
• ASIN: B00004UAM7
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (57 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #170,161 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Love Is Forever

2. Unraveled

3. Miss The Lights

4. Midnight Train

5. Fool's Gold

6. In The Middle Of Madness

7. The Smell Of Money

8. Rise Again

9. Serenade

10. Cowboy Joe

See all 11 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. Mother Mary

2. LetIt Roll

3. This Kids

4. Love To Love

5. Out In The Street

6. Pushed To The Limit

7. Venus

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A little let down., August 2, 2000

By 

Thradar (Pacific Northwest) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Covenant (Audio CD)

After having the time to give it some listens, I've come to the conclusion that I like it, but it is no Walk on Water. The album sounds more like Mogg/Way with Schenker as the guitarist than actual UFO, and in a way it really is. Schenker's guitar work is good, but I miss the crisp mini-solos he used to whip out that played over the top of the rhythm guitar, just after most of the verses. I prefer Schenker with UFO as opposed to solo, because I feel that his solo playing is so sanitary and without feeling, but with UFO it's got soul. Phil's voice sounds tired compared to Walk on Water, and he does far too much growling and low frequency vocals this time around. The songs are catchy, but ultimately lack the flair that give them that UFO sound. I like it, I just don't think it some of their better work. Admit it, the first time you listened to Walk on Water and heard Darker Days you were like "Heck yeah!" I didn't get one "Heck yeah!" feeling from Covenant. The live CD probably won't be listened to often. Technically is almost below listening standard and was just thrown on as a fan collectible. I'd rather throw in Strangers in the Night. I miss the ENTIRE UFO lineup, and it shows.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Better than they say! Inconsistant but worthy!, April 20, 2004

By 

Robert Dumas (Pawling, NY USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Covenant (Audio CD)

Everyone seems to want to compare this to "Walk on Water," which is indeed a better album. That being said, we can now discuss "Covenant" intelligently.

Gone is drummer Andy Parker, replaced by veteran journeyman Aynsley Dunbar. Paul Raymond (keys, guitars) is also gone, which is a shame -- but remember, he wasn't an original member of the group. UFO started as a four-man outfit. So frankly, for me, these changes are negligable.

"Covenent" is somewhat inconsistant in my mind. It contains a few of UFO's best songs -- it also contains some of their worst. And while the production values here aren't as strong as "Walk on Water," they are not nearly as bad as some here are making them out to be.

Consider "Fool's Gold." This is UFO at its finest and reminds me a little bit of "Love to Love." It starts out as a gentle ballad with some of singer Phil Mogg's most touching lyrics. Soon, however, as is UFO's want, the song changes tempo and becomes a balls-to-the-wall rocker -- led by some of guitarist Michael Schenker's most incindiary work.

I also like "Serenade," which features a great riff -- catchy, yet original. Phil sings the hell out of this and I noticed he sounds as good as he did back in the "Force It" days. Check out Schenker's solo here -- sonically stunning.

The opening track is awesome as well -- "Love is Forever." This one is classic-sounding UFO and I could imagine them opening their show with this bone crusher.

There are plenty of missteps -- as other critics have pointed out. "Cowboy Joe" is pointless and forgettable, and "The World and His Dog" is a real head scratcher and a disappointing way to close out the CD.

Of course, there is the second CD -- a live collection of songs from their last tour. This is terrific... sonicly crisp and well mixed. While the older songs ("Mother Mary," "Let It Roll," etc.) are not quite up to "Strangers in the Night" standards (hey, what is?) -- the disc does contain several live versions of tunes from "Walk on Water" and that alone makes this a "must have" for all UFO fans. Specifically, it has scorching renditions of "Venus" and "Pushed to the Limit."

This is a very fine 2-CD set, and if you're a big UFO fan, or fan of 70s-style hard rock 'n' roll, it's a must for your collection. But because it is a 2-CD set, the price is a little higher than it normally would be and that may be what is really ticking off some of the critics here.

Ignore those hang-wringing naysayers and give this one a chance. Play it on a high-end system and play it loud. You'll be happy that you bought it and annoy your neighbors all at the same time. Now, that's rock 'n' roll!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars not as original as walk on water but good, July 28, 2000

By 

jonathan gwyn (laguna niguel, california United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Covenant (Audio CD)

Its too bad that the boys chose to rush out this album ( written and recorded in two weeks reportedly) Given a bit more time they may have been able to turn out a more original set of songs as on walk on water. With 'walk' they seem to have put more thought into presenting more complex melodies and original sound into the compositions, mainly ( in my opinion) due to the inclusion of old time member Paul Raymond. With raymond absent and ron nevison replaced by Mike (I dont know how to mix music ) Varney, the songs come out as typical hard rock. Nothing really new or exciting. Having said that, it dosent mean its a bad thing. Any album with Schenker, Mogg and Way is guaranteed to rock, and it does that very well. Midnight train is a great rocker, and Serenade seems pulled straight from the heyday of Phenomenon and Force it. I think it dosent rate as well as Chocolate box from Mogg way or Unforgiven from Schenker, but falls somewhere inbetween all the old school UFO albums. As for the live stuff, I guess I'm just really bored with hearing the same live tracks over and over again. Everything from Strangers in the night has been done so often live that I listened once and got bored and havent listened since. Now guys, If you can keep from killing each other, spend some more time on your songwriting next time.