Dear Superstar - Heartless

  by Adrian Huggins

published: 8 / 10 / 2008

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If you look at the promotional picture that accompanies the press copy of this CD, it wouldn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out exactly what they sound like and pretty much exactly what to expect. If you look down the song list on the back of the album, you might think, ‘Yes, here is every hair metal cliché." There are Motley Crue tales of debauchery with titles such as ‘Brink of Destruction’, ‘Signposts to Bedposts’ and ‘Hollywood Whore’ (which is probably a bit rich coming from any band that go around singing and about how debauched they are). And, oh dear God, there even seems to be the token anti-love song ballad with ‘Can’t Write a Love Song’. Anyway this is before I’ve even got onto the music. It’s exactly how you would expect it to be-over sung, over produced with huge guitars and pseudo American singing, which is especially show cased on ‘Hollywood Whore’. It all just gives the impression of being completely staged. But do you know what ? It all sounds fucking great. There are times on this album where there are some absolutely cracking riffs. Throw in some double bass pedal action and a bit of screaming and this at times recalls Lost Prophets. ‘Anytime Anyplace’ does get the feet tapping and does not let it’s foot off the gas with its huge sounding guitars and gang vocals, while 'Live Love Lie', probably the best track here, finds singer Micky Satiar joined on vocals by Matt Tuck from rock gods Bullet for My Valentine. The fact that it was produced by Ramesh Dodangoda is no surprise. It feels like he is the one who stripped away all the things that were great about Funeral for a Friend, Lost Prophets and now even Bullet for my Valentine by polishing them within an inch of their lives. It does, however, make you feel that this might as well be a pop band just with guitars. It’s not offensive or dangerous, and these are the things that are great about this sort of rock and roll. I can’t pretend I’m not put of by a band who claim to be big time rock and rollers, yet look like they’ve been through a styling school run by someone who’s only grasp what a ‘rock’ band are like is based upon watching an early 90’s daytime film where somebody goes in a rock club with the "whacky"’ rock and roll dudes. You can’t fault these guys on skill and I wouldn’t for a second entertain the idea that they are not fantastic at what they are doing. It’s just the fact that it’s been done to death about 20 years ago. If you’re looking for some mindless balls to the wall old sounding rock to have a drink and a good time with look no further.

Track Listing:-

1 Brink Of Destruction
2 Brothers In Blood
3 Live Love Lie
4 Signposts To Bedposts
5 Anytime Anyplace
6 Raised Voices & Confrontations
7 Rock Bottom
8 Hollywood Whore
9 Diseased & Distraught
10 Cant Write A Love Song

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