METALNEWS Awaken (Deluxe) Review
Translated from French
Not being born of the last rain, and not selling the skin of the bear before boiling the water that does not amass foam, I have always felt the greatest distrust of 2K groups whose main promotional argument is the number of followers on the web. We must adapt to the standards of success of his time, and today, the popularity is no longer counted in the number of records or concert tickets sold, but the number of likes and quidams following your wanderings on the virtual canvas. And when this kind of group puts forward a buxom singer with outrageous makeup, suspicion turns into mistrust, as if they had to settle their account to those artists who think that a passage in "The Voice" is worth more than the whole Sweat sweated to prepare her big night. But what do you want, having grown up with the heroes of the seventies as models, I still have reflexes of the rear guard who is afraid but never lies, attitude not really adapted to our time, but which avoids many superficial disappointments. Thus,REALITY SUITE at first seem to be part of this category of artists entirely dedicated to the 32-bit golden calf, but reading their biography and listening to their music, I can only emit a single report. Whatever their current success, they deserve it amply, and are much less superficial than their attitude suggests. Founded in 2009 in North Haledon, New Jersey by childhood friends Brian King (drums) Antonio Valenti (bass) and Joe Padula (guitar), REALITY SUITE eventually became a quartet after intensive search of a frontman who went finally turned out to be a frontwoman in 2013 after integrating the beautiful Kimmii Heart behind the microphone, and it's full of certainty that the quartet released its first LP in 2015,Skinn .
Since then, quite a long way, given concerts, and a signature with Lions Pride the Danish label for the release of this Awaken in deluxe version of twelve titles. For the record, Awaken was first published last year, which the group wanted to expand by adding some titles, which allows it today to reach the very reasonable duration of fifty minutes. Fifty minutes, but how? With a nice alternative void that sounds like a product of its time, but whose emptiness would fit perfectly with any decade? No, with a modern and creative Rock at the edge of an alternative Hard Rock, well in its time, but with traditional fundamentals, embedded in a production up in time. Not totally produced by the group, and having benefited from a precious hand of Mike Ferretti (SEVENDUST, SALIVA, BRAND OF JULEZ) and Earl Cohen (LADY GAGA, Jessica SIMPSON, PINK) to the production, Awaken sounds like a very teeny version of a Rock uninhibited and fresh, very pronounced adolescent hooks, and synthetic perfume quite pleasant. Nothing fundamentally innovative, but acquaintances with the generation of DIAMANTE, THE HARDKISS (without the excessive theatrical fashion side), and some allusions to the seniors of Avril LAVIGNE, and other Fefe DOBSON, for an energy that convinces, without going as far as to talk about a "Rock Stadium" that some US journalists have found in articles a little too dithyrambic.
But talent to pick up pretty little hymns on the edge of a Pop-Rock hardened with a distortion present, seductive choruses, and especially, texts much deeper than the eternal troubles lovers and other desires to free themselves the shackles of an oppressive society. Here, we talk about the loss, the dear ones you miss, and many titles are also dedicated to the mourning that life forces us to face. A little more mature than the average, this Awaken surprises with his ability to divert the codes of Hard and Classic Rock to appropriate them, without falling into the pretension of these virtual artists who believe to revolutionize their art which is not one. And if the single "Bury me Alive" plays it a little jumpy around the edges with a guitar lick, his brave attitude convinces us that this quartet is a little more consequent than the average, if only by his Ability to play with the borders to sign a Pop-Rock alternative first hit. But to tell the truth, the listener will become aware of these capacities from the powerful opening "Kiss The Ring", on which Kimmii leaves no doubt about his attitude by launching a challenge " I do not need you telling me what's right" , I ' ". Overflowing with youth, this first LP is very well suited to flexible and synthetic rhythms to tackle pronounced riffs, without falling into the painful trap of modern Metalcore, thanks to a very pronounced sympathy and avowed for a muscular and rough Pop.
The tracks marked by the tragedy darken the panorama, and allow us to appreciate the more intimate side of a chameleon group, leaning on the two songs "Grave" and "Cut Burn Bruise", the sensitivity exacerbated. The modern arrangements do not hide a very pronounced Pop-Rock construction, and finally, REALITY SUITE escapes a dating too pronounced by its traditionalist perspective. A lot of good to take on this second long, especially songs that come out of the mold, such as "Lust", his sharp riff and his prominent bass, "Wrong With Me", his phrasing bumped and references to the beautiful April, or "Blame It On Angels" which takes over the Californian beauty cannons of the 90s to make them more mature. Of course, it will take open-mindedness to appreciate this LP at its fair value, but unstoppable hits like "Live Now Forever" should help you with their more classic sound than it has. 'air. So certainly, the four Americans are well in their time and use the modern weapons at their disposal, but they have bottom, worked form, and deserve as much as others to succeed. And Awaken to pose in spontaneous but refined work, which will undoubtedly help the group to conquer its world in default of the world.