I’ve been a fan of the collective called The Dead Daisies since their self-titled debut album from 2013 when former INXS singer Jon Stevens was holding the mike. That album was pretty much only Stevens and founding and today only original member, guitarist David Lowy with a whole bunch of guests. Many members has travelled through this group since then and according to Lowy, Dead Daisies was supposed to be a band with revolving doors where musicians could come and go as they pleased and whenever they wanted to. Today the band is pretty much held together by Lowy and guitarist Doug Aldrich (Whitesnake, Dio, Lion, Revolution Saints), who’s been around since the third album Make Some Noise (2016). Today, Dead Daisies is a whole other beast than it was back then.
Up until 2019 it looked like The Daisies actually was becoming a real band with a more or less stable line-up with Aldrich, Lowy, bassist Marco Mendoza (Whitesnake, Thin Lizzy) and singer John Corabi (Mötley Crüe, The Scream, Union) making a bunch of albums and touring the world but it was not to be. When Mendoza and Corabi left, Aldrich and Lowy managed to bring in no other than Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, Gary Moore, Black Country Communion) for bass and lead vocal duties. During the recording and release of that line-up’s debut album Holy Ground (2021) the pandemic broke out and with that all plans of touring went out the window so what to do than get on with it and make another record. With drummer Deen Castronovo gone and the same thing with his replacement Tommy Clufetos, Brian Tichy (Whitesnake, Foreigner, Pride & Glory) returned to the band after a five year leave of absence. We’ll see for how long this line-up will stay together.
The album opens with a total banger, the latest single “Face Your Fear”. It’s a guitar attack with a fierce drum rhythm and a thunderous bass and an intense groove. It’s a muscular piece that blends older Dead Daisies with the Classic Rock of the 70’s where the grit contrasts masterfully with the direct melodies and a kicking chorus that takes no prisoners. Brilliant. The following “Hypnotize Yourself” kicks off with a meaty, heavy riff that roars aggressively. The verse slows things down and takes a more laid-back and even soft path which leads us into the powerhouse Classic Rock assault that is the big chorus, a chorus that rams its hooks in you right off the bat. This is how you create a winner, folks!
The lead-off single “Shine On” is a fast-tracked, crunchy rocker, quite straight forward with a rowdy riff and a whole lot of punch. It’s an electrifying dynamite of a song that holds no punches, very direct and in-your-face with striking melodies. A damn good song but in all honesty, this is more a live-friendly deep cut than a single. The titular track that follows is slow, heavy and dark with a rough edge. It’s a beefy track with some chuggy down-tuned riffing that is held up by a tough rhythm. It’s on the gloomy side with a nod towards Dio fronted Black Sabbath with a magnificent main-melody and a direct and distinct chorus. Great stuff.
Opening with a thumping drum pattern, “Born To Fly” is a poundy, rough-edged Hard Rock meets Classic Rock belter, very straight forward and kicking that holds a raw and crunchy guitar riff. It’s quite a simple rocker that blends balls-out Rock with some damn hooky melodies and a chorus that’s pop-catchy due to the highly infectious vocal-melody. Good one. Starting off with a talk-box, “Kiss The Sun” goes directly into a massive groove, rough n’ tumble with a distinct live-vibe. It’s a moody tune too with a firey grit and blends dark atmospheres with lighter hooks and a spot-on main melody which culminates in a ripping chorus that sticks right away. Very good indeed.
“Courageous” is a Classic Rock stomper with both feet in the 70’s but also brings Hughes’ later solo material to mind. While it holds some slightly held-back verses it also brings on a jumpy and fat-grooved drum beat with some electrifying and raucous guitars. It’s a driven beast with bluesy riffing, some Southern Rock styled influences and funky bass-lines and the chorus is a real banger too with an intense catchiness. Killer. “Cascade” is heavy, dark and beefy with slight nod to Black Sabbath. It’s a doomy, thrusting and gutsy powerhouse of a song with a ballsy riff where every melody digs its hooks in you. The in-your-face refrain is dynamite and grabs a hold real hard. Good stuff.
“Not Human” is raunchy blend of 70’s Classic Rock and smoother Melodic Rock touches. Tichy and Hughes creates a real kidney-punch rhythm section with Aldrich’s energetic riffs lighting a fuse, powerful and heavy but also easily embraced vocal-melodies that glues everything together. It’s live friendly as hell and will work splendidly from the stage. Terrific tune. Closing track “Roll On” is upbeat yet laid-back with a smoother main-melody and a dreamy flow. It’s old-school blues-ballady with acoustic guitars, piano and strings – very earthy. Stripped back with atmospheric orchestration Hughes brings on fabulous vocal-lines that are lovingly soothing. Splendid stuff even though this breather might should’ve come earlier in the tracklist.
It feels good to state that this album is not the album that breaks the high-quality strike the band has been on from the start – this is a magnificent album. The Dead Daisies of today is a whole new beast from what they used to be. Fact is, they’re so different that their last album can be looked at as their second debut album. To say that Hughes has affected the band’s sound and style is the understatement of all understatements. I’m not gonna say if they’re better or not, they’re just a different band today. It’s also really hard to say which is the best album, this or Holy Ground but what I can say is that the new one comes across as slightly edgier, heavier and rougher but if Holy Ground was to your satisfaction you can easily buy this one unheard. I sincerely hope that they can keep this line-up going. And I can’t wait to catch them live. That will probably be a KO if there ever was one.
8/10
More The Dead Daisies reviews
The Dead Daisies
Revolución
Make Some Noise
Burn It Down
Holy Ground
Tracklist:
1. Face Your Fear
2. Hypnotize Yourself
3. Shine On
4. Radiance
5. Born To Fly
6. Kiss The Sun
7. Courageous
8. Cascade
9. Not Human
10. Roll On
CD & Festival reviews 