Wednesday, March 5, 2014

PRETTY MAIDS / Louder Than Ever (2014)

After the release of the amazing last year's "Motherland", which ended-up at #2 in Heavy Paradise's Top list, nowadays this Danish melodic hard 'n' heavy band is back with the brand new "Louder Than Ever". And to be more specific, "Louder Than Ever" is not a completely brand new opus; but it consists of eight re-recorded Pretty Maids classics plus four brand new tunes especially written for this record!

The reason for doing this project is to give those songs a different spin with the band and producer we have now” explains singer Ronnie Atkins. It is an in-between album until the band completes the next studio album with new tunes.

So, let's start with the new tunes that are all just great and typical Pretty Maids songs with huge melodies, powerful performances and memorable chorus lines. "Deranged" which opens the album is a typical big and heavy Pretty Maids song. It features a 'darker' and more modern melodic metal vibe in it but when it comes to the chorus then it's 100% Pretty Maids! "My Soul To Take" is one of these kinda of tunes that you can't live without them; a sweet melody, great harmonies, Atkins' superb smooth performances and a chorus to die for!!! Brilliant stuff! Then we have the up-tempo rocker tune of "Nuclear Boomerang" which is one of the best tracks that this band has ever recorded! Heavy, in-your-face without loosing the melody "Nuclear Boomerang" will blow you away! Last but not least we have the beautiful ballad "A Heart Without A Home". The rest of the older re-recorded songs are all familiar to the band's fans and they are all well-performed, as always, with a new up-dated and up-lifting sound without loosing any of their original magic!

All in all and regarding the new tunes, I have to say that all are simply fantastic and already future classic Pretty Maids songs. Melodies, arrangements, the guitar work, the hooks and choruses, everything here is 100% pure Pretty Maids at its best. I would dare to say that all the new tracks could easily stand on their own as a mini album, no doubt about that. The re-recorded classics are givin' the extra flavor and finally there you have another gem in your hands!
Heavy Paradise's Rating : 10/10  

Track Listing :
CD: Deranged (New Song); Playing God; Psycho Time Bomb Planet Earth;
My Soul To Take (
New Song); He Who Never Lived; Virtual Brutality;
Tortured Spirit; With These Eyes; Nuclear Boomerang (
New Song);
Snakes In Eden; Wake Up To The Real World;
A Heart Without A Home (
New Song).

DVD: A Retrospective of the "Motherland" 2013 World Tour. Includes Archive
footage from early stages of the band's career, interviews, backstage,
Studio Footage and the usual freakiness.






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