MASSIVE – Full Throttle

You gotta love those free records that some rock mags include their magazine with if you’re a subscriber. Well, most of those records are included even if you’re not a subscriber. Most of them records are compilation CDs on which most songs passes me by pretty unnoticed. But once in a while, some band decides to include their whole album with said magazine. I’m a Classic Rock reader and there’s a CD with every issue, but there is seldom anything that catches my ear. Not that long ago, a band called Massive decided to include their debut album Full Throttle with an issue of Classic Rock and with a band name like that and an album title like that, I just couldn’t pass up the opportunity to check them out properly. Massive hails from Australia and if a band named Massive comes from the country that gave us AC/DC and Airbourne, I kinda suspect which musical direction these guys has taken. But I was hoping that Massive wouldn’t be another one of those hard AC/DC influenced bands. Don’t get me wrong, I love Airbourne, but there are too many of that kind of bands around. Luckily enough, that’s not the case with this band even though AC/DC is an influence, but so are Guns N Roses, Led Zeppelin and Mötley Crüe. In fact, it takes just one listen to this album to get the fact that these guys were probably born 20 years too late. Their brand of sleazy, high-octane, ballsy, kick ass rock ‘n’ roll comes right off the streets of Hollywood. No, not the streets where the rich folks lives, but the alleys where the not so fortunate calls home. Their music is so full of attitude and piss n’ vinegar that you kind of wonder what the hell has happened to them. But I’m ahead of myself here. The two first songs on the CD, “Burn The Sun” and “Hollywood” are both good sleaze rockers that kicks you right in the nuts and so far all is well, but the problem is that they are only “good”, nothing more.  And the thing is, I want music to be more than just good. Well, “Bring Down The City” is the cure for only good. That song is very good, a sleazy rocker with a really catchy melody, just the way I like it and after that first single “One By One” follows, an angry upbeat party slammer that really causes harm. Hell yeah! After that they just keep on coming. “Big Trend Setter” has this really cool Hinder “Up All Night” kinda chorus that makes you put your fist in the air and just groove with it and “Lacey” mixes heavy rock with a twitch of rockabilly. This is just so damn good.

And the guys keep going on the brave path. “Dancefloor” is like a metal disco track, very groovy – and so awesome. I’d release this one as a single just for the hell of it, if I was them. “Ghost” has a big pop feel to it, but still rocks and it’s one of those songs that just won’t leave your head. “Best Of Both Worlds” is one the most unpredictable songs on the album. It starts off like a melodic rock that turns into  a Guns N Roses kind of sleazer and ends with a gospel choir and a female singer – Kristy Jinx – handling some of the lead vocals – so brilliant. The album ends with a punch in the gut – the title track. It’s a punky and sleazy kind of hard rocker that leaves no time for breathing, just kicking up dust and leave you exhausted. It’s when I hear albums like this that I am glad that I still have the urge to check out new bands, even though I’m an old fart. Massive have recorded a great debut album that’s very raw and sleazy, but still with enough catchy melodies to make sure the songs stays in your head. This is fuel injected rock ‘n’ roll and now that Guns N Roses only exists as some kind of Axl Rose crappy solo band and Hinder has more or less given up on rock and are just a mediocre rock radio band and Mötley Crüe are just another touring money machine, this is exactly what the world needs. When all the old giants decides to call it a day and the rocking world is looking for a new band to fill the arenas, then – if they play their cards right – Massive could just as well be the answer. The album’s title speaks volumes about how this album sounds, let’s just hope that their band name serves them right and the become just what they are called. Peeps, don’t be afraid to check this one out, this could very well be your soundtrack to 2014.

Jon Wilmenius (8/10)

Tracklist:

1. Burn The Sun
2. Hollywood
3. Bring Down the City
4. One By One
5. Big Trend Setter
6. Lacey
7. Dancefloor
8. Ghost
9. Now Or Never
10. Best of Both Worlds
11. Full Throttle