BULLETBOYS – Elefante (2015)
*
One of the most fun and cool acts emerged from the Californian scene during the second half of the ’80s was without a doubt BULLETBOYS. Produced by Ted Templeman, BulletBoys released two very good (and successful) rocking albums between 1988 / 91. The band continued in one way or another, with frontman Marq Torien carrying the flag and some sporadic albums.
BulletBoys will drop their new record, “Elefante“, tomorrow June 9th, the first of original material in 6 years.
BulletBoys 2015 is hair metal no more. Torien has matured both musically and lyrically, but this does not means the band can’t rock. In fact, “Elefante” should be BulletBoys best record ever.
It’s varied, really well composed & arranged, Torien hit every note with the power that is his trademark but now in complete control, the instrumentation is meaty, and production excellent.
Marq Torien has said about the new record: “Can’t wait for our fans to hear this album. I put my heart and soul into this music. This album has sick peaks and valleys … it is not a linear album. A straight out labor of love that I’ve dedicated to all our unfaltering BULLETBOYS fans and friends.”
And he did not lied.
As noted above, since the first bar of opener “Rollover”, the overall sound of Bulletboys 2015 is far from being hair metal. The melodies are still here via catchy riffs and hooky choruses, all wrapped in compact hard rocking sound yet with a different approach.
In many ways, the new record has the musicality of, let’s say, Enuff Z’Nuff, but much more juicy and interesting.
Follower “Tsunami” is an almost a radio-friendly cut but with a ‘malignant’ vibe that is heard all over the disc and it’s one of its highest appeal. This is hard rock yet with a grip that keeps you stuck to the CD player.
The single “Symphony” was presented last year, and while it’s a good track, the intention was obviously attract modern rock radio, and for me it’s the less interesting cut on the album.
However, the best is yet to come starting with the haunting “The Villain” driven by a killer rhythm, next “Kin Folk” (one of the highlights) adds acoustics to its melodic hard rock foundation, and the again melodic “Saving You from Me” is build by solid guitars and a very nice phrasing by Torien.
For me, these 3 tracks are among the best BulletBoys have recorded since their first album.
More class arrives with the contagious “As Dumb As”, and then the chorus of the gritty “Superhuman Girl” is pretty cool too.
The album is varied and “Drop Your Weapon” is a quite dark tune musically and provides a welcomed balance, “Bitch Is Back” returns to fun with a sharp riff, and title track “Elefante”, a short instrumental (dense and malignant) close this really entertaining disc.
Very well produced by Marq Torien together with Matt Thorne of Rough Cutt, BulletBoys “Elefante” has surprised me. I was not expecting such a solid album like this one, on all aspects.
Forget the hair metal days, BulletBoys 2015 are not an exercise of nostalgia, this is a meaty, full of ideas band trying to produce something new still faithful to their origins.
And Torien & Co. succeds.
Highly Recommended.
01 – Rollover
02 – Tsunami
03 – Symphony
04 – The Villain
05 – Kin Folk
06 – Saving You from Me
07 – As Dumb As
08 – Superhuman Girl
09 – Drop Your Weapon
10 – Bitch Is Back
11 – Elefante’
Marq Torien – Vocals, Guitar
Chad MacDonald – Bass
Shawn Duncan – Drums
Nick Rozz – add. Guitar, Backing Vocals
BUY IT !
www.amazon.com/Elefant%C3%A9-Bulletboys/dp/B00W4L0LU2
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