Bridgeville
Aftershock
Crime Records
2016
Bridgeville is a bit of a weird case scenario. It features vocalist Martin Steene (Iron Fire, Humbucker) and members of the band Absinth, namely guitarists Erik Norheim & Kenneth Jacobsen, drummer Thomas Furuvald, and bassist Roger Svenkesen. The existence of the band stems from a desire that Steene had to put out some “modernized” hard rock in the past few years that Absinth acting as a backing band helped him to set into motion.
While the guys seem to check all the right boxes and the mix handled by the duo of Jacob Hansen (Helloween) & Tommy Hansen (Volbeat) is pretty damn good, the band seems to be missing “something” the “X factor” that would really make them stand out from the crowd… I’m of the opinion that maybe keys instead of dual guitars might have worked a little better and a more laid back atmosphere might have made songs like “Mystic River” a whole lot more enjoyable…
There are good ideas and riffs here, but also a homogenization and a lack of direction… I suppose in trying to go from a speedy power metal to a more mid-tempo melodic style might have you subconsciously carrying over a few “habits”, but still I think there’s enough for Bridgeville to go on. interesting, but nothing that will make the hair at the back of your neck stand.
While the guys seem to check all the right boxes and the mix handled by the duo of Jacob Hansen (Helloween) & Tommy Hansen (Volbeat) is pretty damn good, the band seems to be missing “something” the “X factor” that would really make them stand out from the crowd… I’m of the opinion that maybe keys instead of dual guitars might have worked a little better and a more laid back atmosphere might have made songs like “Mystic River” a whole lot more enjoyable…
There are good ideas and riffs here, but also a homogenization and a lack of direction… I suppose in trying to go from a speedy power metal to a more mid-tempo melodic style might have you subconsciously carrying over a few “habits”, but still I think there’s enough for Bridgeville to go on. interesting, but nothing that will make the hair at the back of your neck stand.