One, two, one, two, one two three... and Halestorm explode back into our ears with their newest release 'The Strange Case of...', an awesome second full-length outing, showcasing their outstanding energy, undoubted talent and steady progression as a band.
The first track, seductively titled 'Love Bites (So Do I)' epitomises the energy of the quartet, where the drumming, guitar work and vocal power all combine to create a mindblowingly exciting and addictive track, which rivals the best the band have ever created.
Quite a start to an album then, as 'Mz. Hyde' soon stops you from thinking it might have been a one off. Combining some synthesiser with some almost death-metal screaming from female lead Lzzy Hale (it's her, I swear), it's not a track you're likely to find stuck in your head, but it provides an excellent bridge before a track which you're going to be singing all day, 'I Miss The Misery'.
With its intensity and the way Hale brings together the interesting emotion twist with her ever-powerful voice and seemingly bottomless lungs, it's not long before you find yourself thinking back and screaming "I don't miss you, I miss the misery!".
And with that, we're straight into one of the heaviest rock tracks on the album. 'Freak Like Me' is sure to be an instant gigging hit and a sacred song for all those who like to break convention. Its heavy bass and hard hitting percussion is all about bringing the album back to pure rock before the band launch into three ballads, 'Let Me In Your Room', 'Break In' and the absolutely sublime 'Beautiful With You', which even the hardest rockers will find it hard not to fall in love with as Hale shows off her full vocal range and demonstrates her ability to write a proper emotional rock tune.
'Rock Show', as you might expect, is the real get up and jump track on the album, as Halestorm fly out of the ballad sandwich and step things up a gear, following up with 'Daughters of Darkness' and the newest rock chick anthem 'You Call Me A Bitch Like It's A Bad Thing' which will make you think twice about ever using the word as an insult again.
The disc finishes off with 'American Boys', a tribute to all the lads born and raised in the USA, just sadly not something I can relate to, and 'Here's To Us', an absolutely brilliant beer and barbeque ballad, perfect for summer nights.
The deluxe version is well worth a buy, with three extra tracks in the form of ‘Don’t Know How To Stop,’ ’Private Parts’ and ‘Hate It When You See Me Cry’, none of which fail to reach the high standards set down by the band in the previous 12 tracks.
As a second album, they don't come much better in the rock band world, and you have to give it up to a group permanently on tour, who still have the ability to create such a powerful record. If anyone isn't watching the progress of this Pennsylvania foursome, they sure as hell should be.
About Today's Guest Writer:
Laura Watson loves reviewing great albums, and has lately become a huge fan of Halestorm.
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