Page 41 - Black Velvet Issue 97

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YYYY album is definitely guitar- dual vocals throughout the Drummer Barry Kerch’s
Michael Coventry led – big riffs and solo flour- album give added depth hard-hitting beats add to
ishes on every track that and tone, the guitars are on the intensity of the dramatic
LIV SIN are hard rock perfection. point, and the rhythms will track. “It’s about to get
INVERTED From the straight-rocking always hook you in. Last heavy,” singer Brent Smith
(DESPOTZ) opener ‘Big Rock Show’ Great Dreamers have a states; he’s not wrong ei-
What was intended to through to slightly melan- confident, engaging style ther and he clearly means
be an acoustic EP mutated cholic closer ‘God Put A and know to how to write a heavy in more ways than
during the creative process Smile Upon Your Face’ it’s great song. one. The album has set off
as the three tracks, ‘Devil’s pure quality. Well worth YYYYY from the darkest place of
Plaything’, ‘Black Souls’ checking out. Clare Huckett the journey, the darkness
GREYBEARDS and ‘Killing Ourselves To YYYY continues within the ,
FOR THE WILDER MINDS Live’ took on lives of their Clare Huckett THE LAZYS synth-infused ‘Black Soul’
(ATTITUDE) own. Liv Sin (ex-Sister Sin) TROPICAL HAZARDS and title track ‘Attention At-
Mainland Europe is in- has a settled new band and HELL’S GAZELLES (GOLDEN ROBOT) tention’, the latter featuring
creasingly becoming a a deftly melodic direction to TAKE YOUR MEDICINE Hard rockers The parts where Brent is talking
hotbed for hard rock acts suit her stunning voice. (HELL’S GAZELLES) Lazys’ second album em- rather than singing; it works
and strengthening this ‘Devil’s Plaything’ (a Metal-edged hard rock bodies the ballsy and well. Shinedown has
case is Swedish four-piece Danzig cover) is pure se- from Oxford’s Hell’s booze-soaked swaggering crafted an album full of
Greybeards, who have hit duction, with sinuous Gazelles, this 5-track EP is rebel. Big riffs and rhythms, solid songs, using a varied
the target with their second rhythms centred on the energetic and thematically attitude, slightly gravelly musical palette. For those
full-length album ‘For The bass line and percussion thought-provoking. It has vocals, it’s a classic heavy who are after heavier ma-
Wilder Minds’. This new allowing the clarity of Liv’s an instant appeal with rock sound and The Lazys terial in terms of the tone of
material comes just a voice to shine. There’s a rapid-fire opener ‘Give Me do it brilliantly. Opener the music, the fast-paced
shade over two years since bluesy guitar behind ‘Black Something’, a snarl of frus- ‘Nothing But Trouble’ is ‘Pyro’ should whet your ap-
their debut release and if Souls’ giving the song its tration at both the mundan- very much in that vein and petite. The multi-textured
anyone has dared let them groove, while ‘Killing Our- ity of daily life and the it’s an immediate hook. ‘Darkside’ also has mo-
slip their minds they in- selves To Live’ with its por- selfishness of the powerful. ‘Half Mast Blues’ is sleazy ments when it packs a
stantly plant themselves tentous piano and ticking ‘Out Of Time’ sees front- fun, the tale of a pirate, a punch, as does the ener-
back there with the storm- clock overlaid with funereal man Cole Bryant really let mermaid and the effects of getic ‘Evolve’.
ing opening track ‘Fast strings is an anguished cry rip with a full-power vocal a few too many. But they There are numerous
Asleep’ which from the against the world’s dark- to match the more overtly go deeper. ‘Picture messages found within ‘At-
opening notes from the gui- ness. It’s a strong set of metal sound and probably Thieves’ snarls disdain at tention Attention’; one of
tar of Ingemar Martensson songs and promises much the best guitar solo of the the fakery of the online them is: don’t be afraid of
immediately grabs your at- for Liv Sin’s future. EP. Hard-rocking title track world where image is failure. For anyone who
tention before the vocals of YYYYY ‘Take Your Medicine’ ups everything. Mid-tempo, re- has ever listened to Shine-
Olle Westlund grab you by Clare Huckett the pace once more, with flective and featuring a down’s music before, you
the throat. Their grip re- lyrics covering mental sparkling guitar solo, know that they are always
mains tight throughout the health and self-medication. ‘Young Modern Lightning’ out to engage their audi-
opening third of the 10- The riffs are huge and fero- sets out what the band’s ence, to inspire, to remind
track record with ‘One In A cious, the vocals are out- commitment to music has you that no matter how
Billion’, ‘Come Undone’ standing. This is a great set cost them over the years. dark things get, the storm
and ‘Insane’ continuing the of songs and well worth a And then there’s ‘Some- will pass and things will get
hard-rocking theme of the listen. body’s Daughter’, a com- brighter. When hearing ‘At-
band but all just a little dif- YYYY ment on missing and tention Attention’ in its en-
ferent from each other to Clare Huckett murdered indigenous tirety, you’ll notice that as
stand out as their own song women – an issue in both the songs progress, the
without blurring into one LAST GREAT DREAM- their native Australia and darkness lifts, making way
another. The halfway mark RYAN ROXIE ERS adopted Canada. It’s pow- for more light and positivity.
brings with it a welcome IMAGINE YOUR REALITY 13TH FLOOR RENE- erful and angry, and bril- The stunning ‘Monsters’ is
change with ‘Beautiful (CARGO) GADES liant. ‘Take Back The Town’ kind of at the in-between
Things’, ‘Free’ and ‘You Ryan Roxie’s first offi- (RAY) ends things on a high with stage, opening up about
Struck Me’ offering a cial solo album has a very Punk-pop dandies Last a full-throated shout of de- the struggle of dealing with
slower pace but still one familiar sound, which is not Great Dreamers have not fiance against greed and inner demons / depression.
with their hard rock trade- surprising given both his been idle since their rebirth division. ‘Tropical Hazards’ The inspiring ‘Get Up’ is
mark and after the attack musical longevity and his in 2014. Frequent touring is a fantastic album that will like a cool summer breeze
on the senses the opening long-term role as lead gui- has got them in front of a be hard to top. on a hot day, while the
songs provide their arrival tarist and collaborator with lot of fans old and new, and YYYYY cerebral ‘The Human
is all the more timely and Alice Cooper. The album is now here’s their second Clare Huckett Radio’ is a vibrant, an-
produce some simply stun- a tight package of hard- album in 18 months to themic battle cry filled with
ning guitar work, especially rocking melodic songs and enjoy. Opening with the big SHINEDOWN hope and determination.
in ‘Free’. Things conclude no-nonsense guitar riffs, riffs and flare of ‘New Situ- ATTENTION ATTENTION “It’s my day to be brilliant,”
in style with ‘The Nerve’ with guest appearances ation’ their knack for catchy (ATLANTIC) Brent sings with conviction
producing a quite sensa- from, among others, his rhythms is in early evi- Produced and mixed during the feel-good album
tional instrumental piece Alice Cooper bandmates dence. Title track ‘13th by Shinedown’s very own closer ‘Brilliant’. When that
which ranks among the Glen Sobel and Tommy Floor Renegades’ has a bass guitarist extraordi- song greets your ears, the
more memorable moments Henrikson. Robin Zander nostalgic air and a slightly naire, Eric Bass, ‘Attention journey of emerging from
of ‘For The Wilder Minds’, provides guest vocals on slower pace, although it still Attention’ takes the listener the ashes with a sense of
an album which in the end Cheap Trick’s ‘California rocks, while ‘Speed Of on an emotional journey well-being, acceptance and
only requires a couple Man’, a cracking song with Light’ has a grander, grind- through an individual’s life; a renewed positive outlook
more truly special mo- a rockabilly style which fol- ing rhythm and a tempo at a life plagued with anxiety is complete.
ments like this to have lows on nicely from the odds with the title. Then and negativity. The short ‘Attention Attention’
achieved top marks. As it country flavour and driving there’s the easy, countrified intro piece, ‘The Entrance’, definitely deserves yours.
is, it falls just a fraction rhythms of ‘Over And swagger of ‘For Your Infor- features the sound of a It’s a triumphant body of
short, but is still a grand ef- Done’. There’s Sunset mation’ and a brilliant door being knocked and work and one that will open
fort from top to bottom and Strip sleaze in ‘To Live And choral vocal to accompany opened, you hear foot- up many new doors for
more than enough to en- Die In LA’, and a bit of an the slightly bleak lyrics. steps, and then a deep in- Shinedown.
sure there is little chance of Oasis vibe to ‘Look Me In ‘Primitive Man’ is an out- take of breath just before YYYYY
them slipping from your The Eye’. Although Roxie and-out rocker as is tale of the powerful lead single Penny Gower
mind again. has a pretty good voice the loss ‘Broken Things’. The ‘Devil’ comes crashing in.

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