Band: Blessed By A Broken Heart
Title: Feel The Power
Label: Tooth & Nail
Release Date: 1/24/2012
Reviewer: Shawn H.
Tracklisting
- Deathwish
- Shut Up and Rock
- Love Nightmare
- Forever
- Thunder Dome
- Holdin’ Back For Nothin’
- I’ve Got You
- Rockin’ All Night
- Scream It Like You Mean It
- Skate or Die
- Innocent Blood
- Sleepless Nights
It’s been almost a decade now since the inception of Blessed By A Broken Heart. On a dark stormy night in 2004, Tyler Hoare had the brilliant idea of starting a concept metalcore band in Montreal, Canada. Through various lineup changes, a transition towards a Nu Glam sound & a signing to a new record label (Tooth & Nail), they’ve now brought forward their first full-length with Tooth & Nail Records, Feel The Power.
Glam Metal is the furthest thing from what I’d typically listen to, but BBABH does it so well. This transition from their Metalcore roots to their current Glam Metal sound was done within the last two full-length, but any newcomers to Blessed wouldn’t be inclined to assume of their roots. The melodic vocals of Tony Gambino are a bright contrast to his grungier work on Pedal To The Metal, but we are still able to hear some of his screamed vocals on “Holdin’ Back For Nothin”. Gambino vocal limitations become apparent when listening to their version of an old power ballad, “I’ve Got You”, where i felt there was a certain something (maybe vocal variation) missing from making it a stellar track. The inclusion of Dallas Taylor as a guest vocalist on “Shut Up And Rock” bring enough Southern Rock feel to make this track one of my favorite on this album.
The musicianship on this album came across sometimes as being slightly lacking. Shred Sean (Sean Maier) often overextended the length of his guitar solos, making you wonder when it will ever end. Gone are the days of elegant solos, like the one found of “Carry On” (from Pedal To The Medal).
Admittedly , tracks like “Shut Up and Rock”, “Forever,” and “Skate or Die,” make this album a worthwhile listen. For a band that claims to be Christian, you’d never guess it from their songs or lyrics; this album is filled with fun, not spiritual enlightenment. Although there is nothing offensive in their lyrics, it would have been a welcomed surprise to see some positive lyrical content within a few tracks.
Overall: Glam Rock/Metal is a genre that not many active artists are actively pursuing, but it’s great to see Blessed By A Broken Heart helping to revitalize this genre for younger generations that may not have grown up in the latter part of the 20th Century. It may not be the Glam music that you (or your parents) grew up listening to in your Walkman, but for what it’s worth this is a great modernization of a previous genre.