LAZY BONEZ – Alive (2015)
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We were already impressed by LAZY BONEZ debut sometime ago (featured on the blog), and what started as an alternative project for all members become their main band with shows all over Europe.
The Finnish band second album “Alive” to be released tomorrow is the confirmation of all the good things heard before but augmented, perfected and polished with excellent results.
Have you ever wondered how the ’90s hard rock music would have sounded like if the grunge movement never took off in popularity and what some of the bands from the late ’80s scene would have evolved into?
Then Lazy Bonez’s “Alive” is probably a pretty good example of what music and bands from that alternate timeline would sound like today.
Lazy Bonez sound & style is pretty unique. But that said in a sense their combine two very well known genres with an incredible naturalness; pure Eighties styled hard rock sometimes leaning Euro hard ‘n heavy from the same era, and melodic hard rock plus AOR touches with the classic Scandinavian touch.
So, Lazy Bonez are not discovering the wheel, but blend both styles wonderfully, and this makes them unique.
Yes, you have songs like opener the driving ‘Evil Mind’ akin Pretty Maids, next the AORish “Sweet Girl” plenty of keyboards and harmony vocals with a catchy Brother Firetribe feel, then the meaty midtempo title track “Alive” with some early Nineties Europe on it.
More of this can be found on the ridiculously catchy melodic rocker “Lonely” (I Love it!), the sweet “Hard Times” or the great “Last Rites”, the latter an example of how Journey should sound today.
All quite awesome stuff, appealing, plenty of melody and punch.
But as said, Lazy Bonez also has a more heavier side providing an effective balance to the record.
“Jesus He Knows Me” is catchy yet more uptempo with a bit of Euro hard ‘n heavy, while “Final Rhyme” sports an ’80s Accept spirit.
“Racing Heart” was especially composed for Tony Martin who appears as guest, a groovy and at the same time melodic track much in the style of ’80s Black Sabbath, then another legend shares vocals on the pretty epic midtempo “Devil’s Dice”; Uriah Heep’s Bernie Shaw (one of the greats if you ask me).
Lazy Bonez must be doing things fine as many other well known musicians collaborate on the record: Simon Wright (ex-AC/DC, ex-DIO), Stefan Schwarzmann (ex Krokus, Accept), etc.
As you see, “Alive” is pretty much the best of both words; melodic rockers with Scandi AOR keyboards & harmonies plus traditional hard rock with a punchy approach. But even on the heavier tracks there’s never an ‘edge’, all is crafted around melodies.
Lazy Bonez have surprised us with a varied, strongly composed & performed second album plenty of memorable moments and catchiness.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
01 – Evil Mind
02 – Sweet Girl
03 – Alive
04 – Jesus He Knows Me
05 – Overload
06 – Racing Heart
07 – Lonely
08 – Last Rites
09 – Devil’s Dice
10 – Hard Times
11 – Final Rhyme
Tommi Salmela: vocals
Markku Mähönen: guitar & backing vocals
Mikko Niiranen: guitar & backing vocals
Jaakko Kauppinen: bass & backing vocals
Topi Kosonen: drums
Heikki Polvinen, Janne Tolsa: keyboards, synths
guests:
Bernie Shaw (Uriah Heep): lead vocals on 6
Tony Martin (Mollo/Martin, ex-Black sabbath): lead vocals on 9
Zachary Hietala (Tarot): guitar solos on 1
Simon Wright (ex-AC/DC, ex-DIO): drums
Stefan Schwarzmann (Accept): drums
BUY IT !
www.recordshopx.com/artist/lazy_bonez/alive/#cd
www.aorheaven.com/index.php/englisch_b/lazy-bonez-alive-digi-pack.html
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