REBORN IN SLEAZE / A TRIBUTE TO DAVE LEPARD (2011)

The former of Crashdiet, Dave Lepard, who took his own life in 2006, was one of the most charismatic vocalists in this scene. The debut album from Crashdiet is considered as one of the classic albums from the new era of the Swedish Sleaze Hard Rock scene. It was a great release with some powerfull, in-your-face, and full of attitude performances; but, most of all, a tight musicianship!!

After the tragic loss of Dave Lepard, the band decided to continue with a new frontman, and now with a new one, and the rest is history. So, what we have here is an album that contains eleven tracks which they performed by the 'new' blood of today's Sleaze / Hard Rock / AOR scene and bands such as Midnite Sun, Hell In The Club, Cyanide 4, Skull Daze e.t.c. The album starts with the 'classic' tune of "Knokk 'Em Down" which is covered by the Italian hard n' heavy band Midnite Sun and comes with a heavier sound without loosing it's original sleaze vibe. Speed Stroke does a fair-enough job in "Riot In Everyone", which is one of my all time favourite Crashdiet songs. Next comes the superb cover of "Queen Obscene/69 Shots" by Skull Daze. By now, this song is probably the best here cause althought it sounds 'fresh' , the band achieves to keep the original 'feeling'.

"Breakin' The Chainz" cover , by PeepShow, is stunning while Superhorrorfuck covering the "Needle In Your Eye" and they are giving the something 'different'  to the track's original sound. "Tikket" by Ragdolls rocks hard and Cyanide 4 with the "Out Of Line" cover giving an extra dose of melody to the whole album. From the rest of the tracks, the one that impressed me the most is the "Straight Outta Hell" which is performed by , one of my favourite new bands, Hell In The Club. A really kick-ass cover with a heavier in-your-face sound that would make Dave Lepard proud! "It's A Miracle" by DNR, "Back On Trakk" by Shining Line and "Lost Horizons" by Blackrain are all well-played and well performed too.

Overall, even if I'm not a big fan of cover albums, I enjoyed this album a lot. All the above mentioned bands achieved to keep the magic and original feeling of Dave Lepard's performances. Recommended.

HeavyParadise's Rating : 7,5 / 10

Track List : 01. Knokk 'Em Down - Midnite Sun, 02. Riot In Everyone - Speed Stroke, 03. Queen Obscene/69 Shots - Skull Daze, 04. Breakin' The Chainz - PeepShow , 05. Needle In Your Eye - Superhorrorfuck, 06. Tikket - Ragdolls, 07. Out Of Line - Cyanide 4, 08. It's A Miracle - DNR, 09. Straight Outta Hell - Hell In The Club, 10. Back On Trakk - Shining Line, 11. Lost Horizons - Blackrain