BLACKRAIN – Released (2016)

France based rockers BLACKRAIN are set to release their latest album entitled “Released” via UDR Music on March 25, 2016.
During 10 long years spent in learning the tortuous ways of Rock ‘n’ Roll, the band met many people who would become essential in the band’s career, but essentially, BlackRain found American producer Jack Douglas (Aerosmith, Cheap Trick, Alice Cooper) a true music legend who provided his great expertise in the making of “Released” (and the band’s previous album “It Begins”).

It’s rare to hear of a renowned US producer working with a bunch of Frenchies or a big label such as UDR Music signing a French rock act, and to be in such a place today BlackRain worked unbelievably hard, taking any and every opportunity they could find, such as playing with major acts like Europe, Alice Cooper, Scorpions, Kissin’ Dynamite, Crash Diet, or at the huge Download Festival.
“Released” is the coming together and expression of all that work, all those years plus all the lessons and experiences absorbed.

Recorded in the suburbs of both Paris and Los Angeles in the early part of 2015, “Released” is the result of many months of collaboration between BlackRain and Jack Douglas who, prior to recording, spent weeks listening and analyzing tons of demos in order to come up with the best songs and create the best arrangements, applying his magic touch to the whole process.
Warren Huart, Aerosmith’s sound engineer, along with Jack, mixed the tracks at the Spitfire Studio in Laurel Canyon.

With straight-forward, catchy tunes like “Back In Town” (the first single), “Eat You Alive”, “Puppet On A String”, the sharp edged “Mind Control” or the more poppy “Electric Blue”, BlackRain remind us that this gang grew up to the sound of Cinderella, WASP, Skid Row, Ratt and Mötley Crüe.
Other tracks suggest different influences; “Run Tiger Run” is a mesmerizing groover, “Killing Me” and “Fade To Black” offer powerful midtempos, while “Words Ain’t Enough” brings a more acoustic flavor to the table.
With its anthemic choirs and hook “Rock My Funeral” is probably the most sleaze-fueled track on the album.

“Released” is all about ’80s glammy hard rock; hot riffs, catchy melodies, gang choruses, some cheesy lyrics (but fun as Hell), delivered with all the glitter of the era.
BlackRain is one of the best acts out there recreating the sound we all love, but they do this armed with excellent musicianship, strong songs and the ‘right’ production. Kudos to Jack Douglas for capturing the essence of the genre through these 13 tracks.
Check the bands mentioned above as influence, they are all here represented in one way or another in “Released”, with BlackRain adding their own spin resulting in a great, entertaining glam hard rock record.
Strongly Recommended.

01 – Back In Town
02 – Mind Control
03 – Killing Me
04 – Run Tiger Run
05 – Puppet On A String
06 – Words Ain’t Enough
07 – Eat You Alive
08 – Home
09 – For Your Love
10 – Fade To Black
11 – Electric Blue
12 – Rock My Funeral
13 – One Last Prayer

Swan Hellion : Lead vocals, Guitars
Axel “Max 2” Charpentier : Lead guitars
Matthieu de la Roche : Bass, Backing Vocals
Frank Frussetta : Drums

BUY IT !
www.merchlandshop.com/shop/suche/BLACKRAIN+-+Released
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