HOUSE OF X - House Of X (2014)

Genre - Hard Rock / Classic Rock

Label - Escape Records

Track listing:

01. Do Me Wrong

02. No More Tequila

03. Long Arm Of The Law

04. No Way Home

05. The Road Less Troubled

06. Martian Landscape

07. Rage

08. Alive

09. Busted

10. Second Son

11. House Of Lies

12. Millions

 

Three years of touring and recording as X-UFO led to the band finding their own identity and prompting a 're-branding' as HOUSE OF X. They completed a new, self-titled album to be released on Escape Records.
We're talking about the super classic Hard Rock combo including singer Danny Peyronel (ex UFO, Heavy Metal Kids), awesome guitarist Laurence Archer (Grand Slam, Phil Lynott Band) Clive Edwards (Wild Horses) on drums, and Lionheart / ex-MSG Rocky Newton on bass.
"House Of X" (the album) is an excellent example of classic, traditional British Hard Rock being made in the now and still sounding not only relevant but also incredibly kick ass. It's a tour de force through everything that makes the old classics... classic.
Consisting of entirely new songs - with the exception of a markedly heavier version of Danny Peyronel's classic UFO ballad "Martian Landscape", this record is plenty of terrific melodies, groove galore and lots, lots of fantastic guitars.
The album opens with "Do Me Wrong" and instantly you can tell what the next 45 minutes is going to hold. It's a solid song, however, it isn't the best of the bunch. And there's seriously awesome tracks here, believe me.
Danny Peyronel's vocals have 'that' British feel and the first of many guitar solos tears its way through the speakers and assaults your ears with raw sexual power. It's these kind of things that we need more of, big manly sexual guitars and vocalists that sound like they have balls the size of Florida oranges.
The aforementioned party element isn't far behind though and the second song is the aptly named "No More Tequila" and quite frankly, it made me want to go and dig out an old leather jacket and start a swinging my hair in the face of the sweet old lady next door.
Cuts like "No Way Home", the melting "Busted" or the catchy "The Road Less Troubled" will put a big smile in your face. This is classic stuff played from the heart, tight, energetic and fun, absolutely fun.
The band's overall sound reminds you many classic acts, but strangely there's very few UFO references. To my ears this is a mix of Michael Schenker Group with Doug Aldritch's Burning Rain and a touch of '80s Gary Moore.
And Rocks.
The album does switch it up a little and there are a few more ballad-esque songs in the latter sections. The transition between "Rage" (terrific guitar / keyboard duel) and the groovy slowburner "Alive” is a beautiful crossover and happens so organically that you barely notice it happening.
"Second Son" delivers some Melodic Rock in the vein of Streets (Mike Slammer) and it's a highlight. "House Of Lies" rocks hard again with muscular guitars, while musically, "Millions" is a homage to the '70/'80 British scene.
"House Of X" is definitely an album that will resonate 5 stars with fans of the good old days, and if you are into more modern sounds, do yourself a favor and listen to it. You will love it.
Everything sounds so 'real' that is a pleasure. 'Real' means real classic Hard Rock, with blood, from the heart. The songwriting is excellent, as the performances, while production is first class.
A golden pot of Classic Hard Rock - Highly Recommended.

Rating: 9/10

Lawless - Rock Savage (2013)

Genre - Hard Rock / Melodic Metal / Melodic Rock
Label - Escape Records

Track listing:

01. Heavy Metal Heaven

02. Black Widow Ladies
03. F.O.A.D.
04. Misery
05. SOS
06. Rock n Roll City
07. Step In
08. Scream
09. Pretender
10. Where Heroes Fall
11. Metal Time


Lawless are a new band founded by veterans from the UK scene.
Featuring Neil Ogden who has been hitting the skins in cult legends Demon since 2002 and his more recent bandmate there Paul Hume (vocals, guitar), plus Persian Risk guitarist Howie G and bassist Josh Williams (Headrush), they have created a dynamic, crisp-sounding rockin' album.
At first glance, you could suspect that Lawless plays heavy metal or NWOBHM due the guy's pedegree, the cover artwork and some track titles here: "Heavy Metal Heaven" or "Metal Time" for instance.
Well, not at all. "Rock Savage" is pure '80s British Melodic Hard Rock with some melodious hard 'n heavy touches but you know, what was considered 'heavy' in the eighties, nowadays it's just hard rock.
This is certainly old school MHR with a fantastic modern production, melodic and catchy choruses together with lots of big riffs and sweet solos from Howie G (his sound set is truly amazing). Hume’s vocals are ideally suited to the style of music (although in my honest opinion they are the weakest link here, I would have loved them to have recruited Demons Dave Hill to handle the vocal duties!), and the rhythm section is fat and bombastic at places.
Groovy, contagious cuts like "SOS", "Scream", "Rock 'n' Roll City" or the Skin (UK Rockers) sounding "Step In" are arena-ready quality anthems, the driving "Heavy Metal Heaven" is bloody melodious akin early Thunder, and "F.O.A.D." puts the pedal to the metal a bit, but the chorus is really commercial.
"Black Widow Ladies"  is a Whitesnake-esque mid tempo monster, there's soaring melodies on the punchy-razor "Misery", then "Pretender" rocks with a Pretty Maids vibe enriched by great harmony vocals and punctuating riffs.
"Where Heroes Fall" is a high class ballad never losing the band's muscular approach and showcasing Hume's more emotional side (he's a solid singer for sure), before closer "Metal Time", an ode to the genre, begins as an amusing Twisted Sister joke developing into a Y&T sounding rocker packed with melting riffs and terrific solos all over. Another favorite of mine.
"Rock Savage" is a fun, catchy, and extremely effective Melodic Hard Rock recording in a typical British style, just as it should be
All songs are instantly likeable, focused on catchy vocal melodies backed by soaring harmonies and meaty riffs, all driven by pounding bass lines and a thumping drum work. The sound is awesomely polished helped by a crisp production and a superb mix (listen with headphones and then tell me).

Surprisingly killer debut by Lawless.

Highly Recommended

Rating 9/10