BLACKRAIN – It Begins (Digipak)

French glammers BLACKRAIN didn’t impress me with their previous CD (their second, though the first I heard from them), but seems the guys have been doing something right, as the band was signed by Columbia Records to shoot them internationally.
More than that, BlackRain’s new album “It Begins” is produced by legendary American knob-twiddler Jack Douglas (Aerosmith, Cheap Trick, Alice Cooper), mixed in Los Angeles, CA, and it’s available on CD, CD/DVD combo and vinyl.

Has really BlackRain improved something with this release? Oh yes. Their ode to late ’80s American Glam/Sleazy is still there, but this time this is a completely different story.
I mean; production is crisp and the mix perfect, stylistically – or ‘sonically’ if you prefer – now is truly what BlackRain aims; sound like a real Sunset Strip act.
But fundamentally, there’s good songs, simply like that. Obviously, their label/management wanted a sure fire impact, and I have no doubt external songwriters (not credited) expert in this matter were called to contribute.

“It Begins” sounds and kick your ears in the pure Poison, W.A.S.P., Skid Row or early Motley tradition, with an updated thundering delivery in the vein of Crashdiet, Hardcore Superstar and alikes, but not so sweaty or ballsy, this is melodic, at times edgy Glammy Hard Rock.
You have to deal with Swan’s high pitched lead vocals (sometimes nasal) but c’mon, this is sleazy metal, you NEED a singer like this. And the guy deliver the goods. The rest of the band do their job in a damn fine style for this genre, there’s sharp razor guitars, fat bass lines and smashing drums.
Just listen the first single “Blast Me Up” (video below): if you don’t like this, you don’t like the ’80s.

The gang choruses, the cheesy melodies (but catchy as Hell), the clichés, the glitter, all is here through these 12 tracks – including the exclusive digital bonus “Do Me Baby”, the most ‘hair metal’ track on the disc.
Be prepared to move your foot at the rhythm of the ‘oh-oh-oh’ in “Bad Love Is Good”, “Death By Stereo” or “Cryin’ Tonight”. Anthems? Tick “Wild Wild Wild”, “Young Blood” or “Ho Hey Hey Hey Hey”… titles say it all. It’s fun stuff.

As said, BlackRain cleverly mix a couple of more ambitious and sophisticated musical pieces as “Re-evolution – New Generation” (ala Cinderella) or the solid hard rocker “Tell Me” which balances the party, rounding an extremely commercial, well crafted (production is top notch) product.
Looking for some fun, ’80s recorded (err… 2013) music?
“It Begins” does the job.

01 – Blast Me Up
02 – Bad Love Is Good
03 – Wild Wild Wild
04 – Death By Stereo
05 – Nobody But You
06 – Dancing On Fire
07 – Young Blood
08 – Cryin’ Tonight
09 – Re-Evolution – New Generation
10 – Tell Me
11 – Ho Hey Hey Hey Hey
12 – Do Me Baby (exclusive digital bonus)

Swan – Lead Vocals, Guitar
Max 2 – Guitar, Backing Vocals
MatH – Bass, Backing Vocals
Frank F. – Drums

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