MAYBE NEVER – Maybe Never (Album Review)

Sometimes a completely unknown band opening a show can just click with you. As an avid music listener and rabid fan of the Hard Rock/Heavy Metal genres this discovery is one of the greatest feelings. There’s no pre-conceived notions, just you experiencing the band’s compositions and live show for the first time. Such was the case with Maybe Never out of Rochester, N.Y. My Maybe Never awakening occurred as my friend (Olivier from Sleazeroxx) and I endured a lengthy traffic nightmare to attend Faster Pussycat/Paradise Kitty concert on July 29, 2018. The opening band was Maybe Never. You can read the whole review through the link below, but Maybe Never impressed. Directly after their set, I rushed to the merch table to purchase their debut CD MAYBE NEVER – Maybe Never.

MAYBE NEVER – Maybe Never (Album Review)

The CD, recorded at In My World Studios in 2017 features a whopping 14 tracks. That’s a lot for any album, let alone an introduction to the band. However, with mild exception, the entire disc flows and plays well. I’ll not discuss all 14, but here are a few of my highlights.

Just as “Smells Like Sin” served as the introduction to Maybe Never through the live gig, it launches the album. The song makes a statement about Maybe Never. It lays out perfectly what the band is about. Heavy, yet loaded with enough melodies to please. The thunderous beat driven by drummer Aaron Robinson. The thumping basslines from bassist A.D. Zimmer. The tasty guitar solo, showcasing Steve Cone‘s abilities. But the real strength is Jody Luce‘s vocals, clear and forceful, exuding immense power.

From there “Ghost Me” is a meaty serving of headbanging glory. With lyrical verses oozing venom contrasted with the soaring chorus melodies “Ghost Me” has become a fave cut. Unfortunately, Maybe Never don’t have an official video out, but below is a live recording of “With Blood”. And “Hangman” kicks some ass as well! During the concert, the band had a real upswing to their already impressive set with the last three songs they served. The Led Zeppelin cover does not appear on the album but “Something About You” and “Everybody Up” do. Both songs are, to put it simply, awesome.

Basically, there’s only two songs on MAYBE NEVER – Maybe Never that I don’t see eye to eye with. That’s “Free” and “Without You”. And honestly, that’s because they’re slower fare. That doesn’t mean they’re not well written or executed, just not my bag.