Her Chariot Awaits
Her Chariot Awaits
Frontiers Music srl
2020
Well, when it comes to female voices, I want either angelic voices, or gruff nasty screaming rock goddesses… the in-between vocalists, they need to either have a totally amazing timbre or to be singing really well-crafted songs that might make up for any perceived shortcomings.
Her Chariot Awaits is an odd collaboration, between Ailyna Giménez (formerly of Sirenia), Mike Orlando, from the unlucky groove metallers Adrenaline Mob (not sure if they’re still a going concern), Jeff Thal brother of Bumblefoot on drums and one Brian Gearty on bass. It’s surely a talented bunch of musicians, but I’m not necessarily sure that they coalesce that well, on this first attempt to write and perform together.
Orlando and Thal’s usually busy over the top style, creates a modern yet engaging canvas and Gearty has the chops to keep up fine… but I’m not entirely sure about Giménez. She’s got a sweet voice, but not enough power to rise above the rest in the mix – although she’s mixed all over the band, but a little low... she’s just agile enough to keep time, but feels like she could not keep up... if she had to really follow the rest…
For instance, when she does rap on opener “Misery”, she sounds a little like a bad Gwen Stefani, followed by a flashy solo that would feel unnecessary in a poppier tune, which this is not exactly… I feel either the music should allow her to be more expressive, or the band might be better off with a more dynamic lady, manning the mic.
Things don’t fall below a certain standard, but don’t rise above it either… “Constant Craving” that early on promises to be a “ballad” type of song doesn’t turn out to be one. And that’s the album’s main problem, there’s hardly a “single” worthy song on it. While there are plenty of neat moments and good ideas, the overall style and resulting songs, leave you unfulfilled.
Sometime ago Olof from Amaranthe had a wee side project, called My Darling Dismay that did this style justice, sounding a bit like a more girly Guns N Roses, with an emphasis on the roses, their red haired temptress of a vocalist would trample…
Heck, Frontiers even has their own Murder Of My Sweet that on occasion have turned in a couple of pretty good albums, but this “metallic” No Doubt, (without the big hit), simply doesn’t do much for me. The talent is there, but not the songs… not at present, at least. Who knows if they can come up with something better in the future?!
Her Chariot Awaits is an odd collaboration, between Ailyna Giménez (formerly of Sirenia), Mike Orlando, from the unlucky groove metallers Adrenaline Mob (not sure if they’re still a going concern), Jeff Thal brother of Bumblefoot on drums and one Brian Gearty on bass. It’s surely a talented bunch of musicians, but I’m not necessarily sure that they coalesce that well, on this first attempt to write and perform together.
Orlando and Thal’s usually busy over the top style, creates a modern yet engaging canvas and Gearty has the chops to keep up fine… but I’m not entirely sure about Giménez. She’s got a sweet voice, but not enough power to rise above the rest in the mix – although she’s mixed all over the band, but a little low... she’s just agile enough to keep time, but feels like she could not keep up... if she had to really follow the rest…
For instance, when she does rap on opener “Misery”, she sounds a little like a bad Gwen Stefani, followed by a flashy solo that would feel unnecessary in a poppier tune, which this is not exactly… I feel either the music should allow her to be more expressive, or the band might be better off with a more dynamic lady, manning the mic.
Things don’t fall below a certain standard, but don’t rise above it either… “Constant Craving” that early on promises to be a “ballad” type of song doesn’t turn out to be one. And that’s the album’s main problem, there’s hardly a “single” worthy song on it. While there are plenty of neat moments and good ideas, the overall style and resulting songs, leave you unfulfilled.
Sometime ago Olof from Amaranthe had a wee side project, called My Darling Dismay that did this style justice, sounding a bit like a more girly Guns N Roses, with an emphasis on the roses, their red haired temptress of a vocalist would trample…
Heck, Frontiers even has their own Murder Of My Sweet that on occasion have turned in a couple of pretty good albums, but this “metallic” No Doubt, (without the big hit), simply doesn’t do much for me. The talent is there, but not the songs… not at present, at least. Who knows if they can come up with something better in the future?!