Covenant [LIMITED EDITION]

UFO

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 25, 2000)
• Original Release Date: July 25, 2000
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Limited Edition
• Label: Shrapnel
• ASIN: B00004UAM7
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (56 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #178,827 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 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

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.

5 of 5 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)

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:

4.0 out of 5 stars Covenant: In the Shadow of "Walk on Water", November 11, 2008

By	James Choma - See all my reviews

Covenant is a really good UFO album had that the misfortune of following a phenomenal album, Walk on Water. Even worse, the production, at least to my ears, is muddy, causing some great songs to occasionally get mired down in a sludgy mess.

Keep in mind too that this was released in 2000, a year in which boy bands, Britney, and hip-hop dominated radio play. Bands like UFO were at best fondly remembered by fans; at worst, derided as over-the-hill dinosaurs trying to avoid complete extinction in a musical landscape that would not permit them to adapt.

However, eight years after the fact, I've come to really enjoy the trio of albums UFO released between 1998 to 2002: Walk on Water, Covenant, and Sharks. To me, some of the material on these albums ranks and some of their best work ever. You heard me -- ever. Pretty high praise, but as a fan of guitar driven hard rock, these albums are in heavy rotation on the good ol' iPod.

The stand out tracks to me are "Miss the Lights," "Midnight Train," "Fool's Gold," "In the Middle of Madness," "The Smell of Money," "Cowboy Joe," and "The World and His Dog." This is a great collection of unappreciated melodic rock!

To be honest, I really didn't care too much for the live album that accompanied this. With the welcome exception of "Venus" and "Pushed to the Limit," it's all been done before -- and better.

On it's own, "Covenant" is an excellent UFO album that had the misfortune of following an album some fans consider their best ever. Another item that probably had a profound effect was Michael Schenker's erratic behavior in the studio and on tour. That in and of itself may have doomed this album from the get go. And that's a shame, as this forgotten little collection of tunes deserves more. I give it a solid 3 1/2 stars.