What makes Face the Truth by John Norum notable?

Face the Truth garnered significant attention within the hard rock and glam metal scenes, showcasing Norum's virtuosic guitar skills and songwriting prowess. The album received positive reviews from critics, highlighting Norum's ability to blend various rock styles, which helped maintain interest in his music after leaving Europe. Released in 1992, Face the Truth is John Norum's debut solo album, following his success as a guitarist for Europe. At this point, Norum aimed to carve out his own identity outside of the band, presenting a more personal and diverse musical expression than his previous work.

Who is Face the Truth for?

Face the Truth works well if you're into steady flow with gradual resolution, vibrant energy for road trips and emotional guitar solos to savor.

How many songs are on Face the Truth?

Face the Truth has 11 tracks, running approximately 43 minutes.

Face the Truth

John Norum · 1992

43 min · 11 tracks · hard rock

Melodic hard rock intertwines with bluesy undertones, showcasing intricate guitar work and emotive vocals throughout the album.

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Top tracks — play these first

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Face the Truth — The title track opens with powerful guitar riffs that set the tone for the entire album, encapsulating Norum's lyrical introspection and musical style.
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Night Buzz — This track features a catchy chorus and exemplifies Norum's knack for combining melodic hooks with classic rock elements, making it a standout moment.
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Still the Night — A slower ballad that showcases Norum's emotional vocal delivery and intricate guitar solos, providing a contrast to the album's harder tracks.

Elevation

Our rating, out of 100 — and why.

AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.

60 /100

Treeline

Higher than 66% of albums we've rated

Norum's debut showcases strong songwriting and guitar work but lacks the lasting impact of his contemporaries.

What we noticed

The album opens with a title track that features a soaring guitar solo, setting a high-energy tone for the first half.
The vocal delivery varies from powerful anthems to more subdued, introspective moments, especially in 'Counting on Your Love'.
The final track, 'Distant Voices', features a gradual build-up with layered instrumentation, creating a reflective conclusion.

Composition 25% of the score: 7/10
Craft 20% of the score: 8/10
Durability 25% of the score: 6/10
Distinctiveness 18% of the score: 7/10
Sequencing 12% of the score: 6/10

Influence 3/10

Known within its scene. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.

Is this for you?

Good fit if you like

steady flow with gradual resolution
vibrant energy for road trips
emotional guitar solos to savor
morning motivation with uplifting lyrics

Maybe skip if you

prefer instant gratification tracks
seek minimalistic soundscapes

Where this album fits

Career context: Released in 1992, Face the Truth is John Norum's debut solo album, following his success as a guitarist for Europe. At this point, Norum aimed to carve out his own identity outside of the band, presenting a more personal and diverse musical expression than his previous work.
Stylistic neighbors: Gary Moore· Joe Bonamassa· Ritchie Blackmore