I love Halestorm, but every female-fronted hard rock outfit out there does not necessarily sound like them. Often times people want to make connections to music when describing a look or sound. Since Halestorm are the flavor of the month in female-fronted hard rock bands, it’s the first description people grab to make that connection.
That’s OK, because Swedish melodic hard rockers Adrenaline Rush consisting of Tave Wanning (lead vocals), Sam Soderlindh (lead guitar, vocals), Alexander Hagman (guitar, vocals), Joel Fox (bass, vocals), and Marcus Johansson (drums) have their own thing going on.
They are back with guns a blazin’ on the follow up to their amazing debut album with Soul Survivor on Frontiers Records.
The band has had an interesting three years that saw the release of a great debut album in 2014 and then subsequently the departure of the band’s lead guitarist and bass player Ludvig and Soufian who moved on to pursue other endeavors. Now, to most bands, this loss would be the equivalent of losing the engine in a precision sports car. A setback like this can spell the end of a promising young band.
Fear not my headbanging brothers and sisters, without missing a beat in 2016, lead singer Tave Wanning began writing and recording the follow-up to their debut with a hot shot new lead guitar player Sam Soderlindh and solid bottom end bass player Joel Fox added to the team.
The result of this change is first and foremost a fantastic follow-up album. The sound is a little more aggressive with a heavier guitar edge but didn’t lose that melodic feel that is a huge part of the Adrenaline Rush DNA.
The first single off the record “Love Like Poison” is a blistering melodic rocker with a huge chorus and a solo section that showcases the new guitar player Soderlindh’s talent for playing a solo that fits the song. The song is a good representation of the sound and feel of the rest of the album.
One of the things that stand out for me on this record besides how good it sounds, is how well paced the songs come off. When you listen to the full album, it all just seems to flow at the right tempo.
In the short time, I have had this record in my possession, it’s hard for me to pick out my favorite tunes because this record is full of guitar-shredding, ass-kicking rock and roll. From the opening track of “Adrenaline,” to the single “Love Like Poison,” and on through to the end and closing track of “Crash,” it’s non-stop relentless hard rock. I am not a huge ballad person, but even the lone ballad on the album, title track “Soul Survivor,” is pretty rocking.
I have a feeling the more time I spend with this record the more I will go to it when I need a kick in the ass. My recommendation is this: If you are into hard driving guitars with melodic female driving vocals and big choruses, then pick up Adrenaline Rush’s latest effort Soul Survivor, and while you are there feel free to pick up the debut, you won’t be sorry, but as always, no matter your taste in music, go out and support live and recorded Rock N Roll music.
Steven Michael
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TrlccUXeUJ8[/embedyt]
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