PRETTY MAIDS / MOTHERLAND (2013)

After their huge "Pandemonium" release in 2010, these Danish melodic metal legends are back with another great effort. "Motherland" is titled Pretty Maids brand new album and be sure that will rock your world. I have to say that I'm a big fan of this band; every inch of their album has a special place in my heart and I was looking forward to this new one anxiously.


Pretty Maids is one of those acts that you can't go wrong with their releases. I don't think that the Maids have ever released a bad album except maybe the "Planet Panic" effort that was a bit 'different' regarding to their previous works. With their last one, "Pandemonium", Pretty Maids took a heavier approach without loosing any of the band's melodic elements of the earlier days. Since their creation, Pretty Maids always combined perfectly the heavy sound with the big AOR melodies, harmonies and catchy choruses. The voice of Ronnie Atkins is the band's trademark!! This guy can sing from soulful ballads to some in-your-face heavy songs and is rightly considered one of the best hard rock shouters over the last three decades!! On January, this year, the first single, "Mother Of All Lies", was out and left me hungry for more.

As I said above, the first single, "Mother Of All Lies" impressed me from the first listening and left me hungry for more Pretty Maids!!! It has a heavy in-your-face riff, great and melodic keys and, most of all, a 'clever' hook and a catchy chorus line; classic Maids tune! "To Fool A Nation" starts with a mid-tempo rhythm and explodes to a stunning hard hittin' anthem with Atkins powerful performances. "Iceman" is movin' to "Pandemonium" heavier paths while "Sad To See You Suffer" grabs you from the first notes and makes you push the repeat button again and again!! Yes, it's the typical melodic hard rock anthems that made Pretty Maids famous. The melody, the harmony, the incredible catchy chorus, the guitars, the vocals...everything flows perfectly in this amazing tune!!! Next comes-up "Hooligan". A really interesting and aggressive song with a bombastic in-your-face chorus and some loud bang-gang vocals!! "Infinity" is a nice mid-tempo and  in "Why So Serious" we have again some modern melodic metal elements that fits perfectly!! "Motherland" is probably the heaviest track in this new album! The guitar sound is heavy and furious and Atkins' voice fill the tune with his powerful and aggressive performance!! "I See Ghosts" rocks hard while in "Bullet For You" we have a brilliant and extremely melodic rocker with a terrific guitar solo!! The two tracks that close the album are both very good.

Closing, I have to say that Pretty Maids impressed me for one more time!!! This is a true genius record. It has everything that a die hard of this band could ask for; huge melodies, a 'fat' guitar sound, solid production, powerful and emotional performances by a very charismatic singer and some extremely catchy tunes!!! So, this is a MUST have melodic metal album that you have to check it out! For sure, it will end-up high in this year's top list!!!!!! Impressive!!!!!
Heavy Paradise's Rating : 10/10

Track List :

01. Mother Of All Lies
02. To Fool A Nation
03. Confession
04. The Iceman
05. Sad To See You Suffer
06. Hooligan
07. Infinity
08. Why So Serious
09. Motherland
10. I See Ghosts
11. Bullet For You
12. Who What Where When Why
13. Wasted