Page 30 - Black Velvet Rock Magazine Issue 112

BV112 Albums pg30.qxp_BV112 pg 30 27/06/2025 08:35 Page 1

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YYYYY Excellent YYYY Very Good YYY Good
YY Listenable, Just Y Poor

the likes of Within Tempta- rock with an infectious cho- do. Clearly there is some- full-blast monster, full of
tion and Nightwish, which rus. 'Broken Arrow' is thing in the water in Swe- throbbing power, intense
is no mean feat. At this slower and more melodic den! Throughout the album energy and ecstatic evil-
stage in a band's career, but is still punchy, 'You there are massive riffs, gi- ness. Straight from the off,
listeners have usually al- Sunk My Battleship' fea- gantic hooks and, when the Wednesday 13 shows he
ready made their mind up tures another particularly time calls for it, soaring vo- means business… sadistic,
and there is little more that heavy, chunky groove, and cals. And it all adds up to bloody, malevolent busi-
can be done to sway those 'Seemed Like A Good Idea' one massive party record ness.
who have not already been has an uptempo, punky that will boost the most The condemning
swayed. Not so with La- vibe which is slightly remi- sombre of moods. While ‘When The Devil Com-
cuna Coil. 30+ years in, An- niscent of classic-era GNR. the guitar work of Chrisse mands’ bears the familiar
LACUNA COIL drea and Cristina are still More punkiness is evident Olsson and Jens Lund- ‘the devil made me do it
SLEEPLESS EMPIRE expanding their audience, on 'I Love You On Her Lips' gren, both approaching a and I’ll do it again’ lyric,
(CENTURY MEDIA) so, even if you've passed and album closer 'Way decade of service to the which Wednesday has
Your 30s can be a on their past work, that is Gone (Beam Me Up, band, is nothing short of sung in both Murderdolls
tricky thing. When some no reason not to try this. Scotty)', the latter full of sublime, please don't ap- and Frankenstein Drag
people turn 30 they start to And that's a mightily high passion and power, ending proach this record expect- Queens From Planet 13,
question their life choices. compliment. things on a high note, with ing any kind of while ‘Rotting Away’ is
Do they make some YYYYY an uptempo, feelgood vibe. highbrow-type music that is power-packed. ‘I can’t wait
changes, introduce more of Michael Coventry ‘POW! Right In The Kisser’ going to inspire world- till you’re in your grave, and
the same or just have a full- is 37 minutes of all killer changing conversation. you’re cold and rotting
on crisis? It's the same with and no filler. Superb stuff Opening track, 'Highway away,’ the frontman,
musicians. But fans of Ital- from Phil X & The Drills. Hurricane', makes that jagged-edgingly sings. Al-
ian goth metalists Lacuna YYYY clear, with lyrics such as though he’s spoken of
Coil will be thrilled to hear Ian Trigg ‘so wrap your legs around being proud of the lyric,
there is no such crisis to re- and let me take the lead’ ‘You in a casket, that
port on and their tenth stu- and closer 'Stick It Out' sounds fantastic.’ Wednes-
dio album, 'Sleepless doesn't leave much to the day is on fire.
Empire', successfully con- imagination. In fact, it's ‘No Apologies’ is an-
solidates their status while when the band fully em- other full-throttle rocker,
expanding their impressive braces their true side that this one featuring Taime
back catalogue further. they are at their best. On Downe of Faster Pussycat.
While Lacuna Coil's debut PHIL X & THE DRILLS the one hand, 'Midnight It’s jammed front-to-back
record did not land until POW! RIGHT IN THE Rebels' is terribly cliché, with fierce drumming,
1999, partners in crime An- KISSER borderline cheesy, but, in steadfast riffs and is burst-
drea Ferro and Cristina (FRONTIERS) actual fact, it's insanely ing with fervency.
Scabbia have been an un- ‘POW! Right In The catchy and the leading You’ll be clapping your
holy force since 1994 and, Kisser’ is the first release CRAZY LIXX contender for the song hands in the air, playing air
based on what is on offer by current Bon Jovi lead THRILL OF THE BITE you'll be humming along to guitar, moshing and more
here, they are showing no guitarist Phil X and his (FRONTIERS) long after you've turned the along to the rip-roaring ‘De-
signs of slowing down, fa- band since 2019's 'Stupid Some things in life are record off. 'Thrill Of The capitation’, another surge
tigue or compromise for Good Lookings, Vol. 1' EP, guaranteed. Death. Taxes. Bite' won't do anything to of evil geniusness. ‘I don’t
anyone. In fact, it's quite and it has definitely been The sun will rise in the change your opinion of this want to see your face any-
the opposite. 'The Siege' worth the wait. The album morning and set in the style of rock music, but, for more, I want to see your
roars out of the gates in includes 11 tracks, show- evening. And, when Crazy fans of it, there is much to fucking head on the floor,’
wholly aggressive fashion, casing the band's special Lixx produce a new record, enjoy. Wednesday humorously
with Andrea's harsh vocals mix of punky, modern rock you pretty much know what YYYY seethes, during the deto-
as growly as ever, but with a classic rock feel. The to expect. But, let's make Michael Coventry nating rocker.
beautifully complimented Drills feature Phil X on lead this clear from the get-go, Towards the end of the
by the symphonic style of vocals and guitars and that is no bad thing, be- album, which was pro-
Cristina to create a sound Daniel Spree on bass plus cause, when it comes to duced by Alex Kane (Life,
that few can come close to special guest drummers melodic rock with a healthy Sex & Death, AntiProduct,
replicating. They work in which include Tico Torres, slice of sleaze, there are Enuff Z’Nuff), the pace
such incredible symmetry it Tommy Lee and Ray few who do it better than slows ever so slowly for ‘I
allows Cristina's vocals to Luzier. Danny Rexon and his Hurt You’, which sees
soar even higher than it 'Don't Wake Up Dead' bunch of merry men. 'Thrill Wednesday wickedly sing,
would by itself. And it's not kicks the album off in fine Of The Bite' is the ninth stu- ‘There’s no one that hurts
just the voices which shine, style, with a heavy, power- dio album in the 20+ year you, the way that I hurt
Daniele Salomone's guitar ful groove. 'Fake The Day career of Danny as the vo- you,’ while ‘My Funeral’,
work is monstrous and Away' follows, with a syn- calist of the group, and fol- which you half expect to be
Richard Meiz's contribution copated beat which gives lowing the departure of WEDNESDAY 13 a slow, morbid track, is a
on drums is so much more the song a funky feel, while right-hand stick man Joel MID DEATH CRISIS loud, trashy, in-yer-face,
than just playing drums, he still rocking hard. Phil's out- Cirera in 2024, he remains (NAPALM) rampant tune that would
provides a pounding heart- standing guitar work shines the sole original member, ‘There’s no such thing not be out of place on an
beat, pumping blood on the absorbing 'Heal', but it would be hard to tell, as monsters… monsters… Alice Cooper album.
through the songs like ma- while 'Find A Way' displays as the vision and sound re- There’s no such thing as Wednesday has pulled
chine gun fire. 10 albums in a deep, dark and heavy riff mains the same as the monsters… monsters…’ out all the stops for his
and 'Sleepless Empire' is on top of a 70s rock vibe. original with 'Loud Minority' you’re repeatedly told by tenth solo studio album. It’s
the sound of a band not 'Moving To California', when it was released in an eerie and echoing everything you’ve been
resting on their laurels but which features Jeremy 2007. It's a testament to voice, during the mutating waiting for, and more. The
still pushing their limits, as Spencer on drums, is the the group that they have intro of ‘Mid Death Crisis’, devil may have made him
shown in 'I Wish You Were most outstanding track on remained so close to their Wednesday 13’s tenth stu- do it, but we’re very glad
Dead', a more symphonic the album, with its laid- roots and this has played a dio album, before ‘Decease that he did.
slice which could easily sit back intro that morphs into significant part in why they and Desist’ rapid-fires riffs YYYYY
alongside the best work of a soaring slice of classic are so good at what they like shotgun bullets. It’s a Shari Black Velvet
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