It's not often that ‘Metal’ and Fun go together as well as this.
I admit I’m no expert when it comes to the genre of Metalcore, so I was initially a tad dubious about reviewing this album, having never heard of BBABH before. But from what I can gather, the band from Montreal, Canada, have had numerous line-up changes and moved away from their roots to embrace a more Eighties inspired sound, coining along the way a new sub-genre, Hair-Metal-Core! ‘Feel The Power’ is their third album, and it’s an absolute corker!
If, as I was, you’re unfamiliar with the name, all you need to know is that BBABH are a mixture of Power Metal, Punk, Mötley Crüe/Skid Row style Glam/Sleaze, complete with a smattering of Emo a la My Chemical Romance. Throw in a healthy dose of Eighties cheese and you’re just about there. And if you’re thinking this may not be the typical Fireworks fare, then you’re wrong. At its heart is a pure and simple Rock ‘n’ Roll album, full of fist-pumping anthems complete with huge choruses with immense gang-style backing vocals, blistering guitar work from ‘Shred’ Sean Maier and Sam Ryder, and big arrangements.
The likes of ‘DEATHWISH’, ‘Shut Up And Rock!’, ‘Skate Or DIE’ and ‘Innocent Blood’ are the more Metal-edged songs on offer, careering along on a cacophony of incendiary guitar riffs and double-bass drums. I can normally do without the shouted vocals that are a hallmark of this genre, and ‘Love Nightmare’ contains its fair share, but they’re thankfully kept to a minimum throughout the rest of the album, so do not detract from the enjoyment. ‘Forever’, ‘Sleepless Nights’ and ‘Scream It Like You Mean It’ move closer to Hair Metal with their melodic choruses, while still retaining a punchy edge, and the awesome party anthem ‘Rockin’ All Night’ wouldn’t sound out of place on a Danger Danger album. Showing a softer side to BBABH is ‘I’ve Got You’, which drags the Power Ballad kicking and screaming into the Twenty-First century, with its mixture of delicate piano refrains, acoustic guitar passages and softer vocal delivery from Tony Gambino (who at times sounds uncannily like Jeff Scott Soto.) I hate to say it, but in the hands of a boy-band this could be a major hit.
If I have any gripe, it’s that the production could be better. There is so much going on at times that it gets bogged down with a muddy sound, and the drums lose their power. But that doesn’t spoil what is essentially a hugely enjoyable album, and it’s not often that ‘Metal’ and Fun go together as well as this. A very pleasant surprise!
Ant Heeks
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