SNAKEBITE – Rise Of The Snake (2018)
One of the surprises of the year when released, SNAKEBITE‘s debut really pleased us with its blend of American hair metal and Euro melodic hard rock. The guys are back with second effort “Rise Of The Snake“, where they have perfected the style, musicianship and production to deliver a joyous slice of ’80s rock n’ roll.
There are so many things to like about Snakebite: darn catchy songs, great melodic guitar solos, a lead singer’s voice that I absolutely love and a tight rhythm section are just a few of the many great things about the band.
What more an ’80s Rock music lover can ask for?
The two possible knocks on “Rise Of The Snake” — which is also what makes the album so good — is that firstly, the songs aren’t overly complicated and might sound a bit generic to some. However, I have always been a proponent that a good song is a good song, and Snakebite simply deliver song after song.
I could mention a lot of influences here – Snakebite members are very young – but it’s enough to say that seems the guys have been picking through their daddy’s record collection, because they rock like it’s 1987.
More melodic than the previous album, “Rise Of The Snake” delivers classic melodic hard rock with a certain hair metal touch. But Snakebite leans more to the ‘leather and denim’ party metal than the make-up and hairspray of sleazy glam metal.
Yes, Snakebite love the late ’80s Sunset Strip scene, but you can’t deny their Germanic origins. So, their sound is like a blend of an early Twisted Sister with Scorpions, with some Vice (late 80s German band), Shark Island and Big Rat in between.
The core of their sound & songwriting is melody, harmony and groove mostly coming from the twin guitar attack in a true US fashion and harmonic vocal arrangements. Speaking about the vocals, Dominik “Nikki” Wagner’s delivery is straightforward, singing clean and sharp. Also, typical of the genre, Snakebite uses lots of gang choruses, with gusto.
Among the highlights is the sharp ‘Freedom’, the midtempo greatness of ‘One Touch’, the anthemic ‘Heroes of the Unknown’, and the very melodious ‘Aiming High’.
There’s really good atmpospheres in ‘Light My Way’ (another super midtempo), and a very nice acoustically filled ballad in ‘Beyond the Rust’, which in the middle raise the tempo for great verses.
Snakebite is a band that deserve your attention, especially if you love your ’80s melodic hard rock unadulterated. I mean, “Rise Of The Snake” feels like recorded in 1987, from arrangements to sound production, and I love it.
There’s no intention to ‘update’ the sound here, Snakebite wants to be Eighties, and truth to be said, they have done a superb job to achieve it. Additionally, the guys are much skilled musicians right now, and songwriting is even stronger.
This is one of that albums that you say ‘if released in 1987 this woulda been a hit’. And it’s true.
HIGHLY Recommended
01 – Freedom
02 – All Your Loving
03 – One Touch
04 – Run Fast
05 – Heroes of the Unknown
06 – Two Desperate Hearts
07 – Aiming High
08 – Beyond the Rust
09 – Fields of Glory
10 – Devil on the Loose
11 – Light My Way
Dominik “Nikki” Wagner – Vocals, Guitar
Julian Fischer – Drums
Alex Lacroix – Bass
Chris van Kough – Guitar
BUY IT !
shop.maniac-attack.de/product/snakebite-rise-of-the-snake-cd
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