MASSIVE – Full Throttle (2013)

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MASSIVE is a new Australian hard rock band formed when drummer Jarrod Medwin (ex- The Deep End) and former Fastrack singer Brad Marr joined forces for a jam only a year ago. After one session they knew they had something and approached brothers Ben & Aaron Laguda and Massive was born.
“Full Throttle” it’s the group fresh, just released debut CD, and both the album title and the band’s name properly describes their music; massive, full throttle Rock ‘n Roll.

Fastrack was a promising rockin’ act (I have their demo) but sadly disbanded soon. Then Marr called Medwin – whom he met on a gig – and both hooked up in his attic and jammed for a couple of days. Boosted by the change in scenery, Marr and Medwin wrote five or six songs during this initial session. Laguda bros. completed the lineup and rehearsals begun.
Having signed a deal with Third Verse Records, in the last six months Massive replaced bass player (Aidan McGarrigle), recorded “Full Throttle”, jetted around Australia on a national tour for promotion, and in the middle the band was chosen to support Glenn Hughes Australian tour, and then the Lita Ford tour last May.

Even more, Massive have booked an international tour that seasoned veterans would envy; a 50-show tour across Canada and US which is taking place right now… not bad for a new act.
But it does not surprise me, judging the quality on display in “Full Throttle”.
Massive’s sound isn’t a million miles removed from the kickin’ hard rock that made Fastrack so much fun, but there’s something else going on in Massive, that indefinable quality adds purpose and impact to the energy. While Fastrack excelled at youthful energy and bravado, Massive seems to allow themselves more distinctiveness, more melody, more considered songwriting and more of a direct line to the same mojo that populates the best ’80s L.A. Hard Rock movement.

There’s ballsy, indeed full throttle rocking cuts in the moving “Burn The Sun” and “One By One”, the groovy “Now Or Never”, on the last, take-no-prisoners title track and the bluesy and melodic “Bring Down The City”. Sharp yet clean valvular riffs, pounding rhythm section and great swaggering vocals to rock you hard.
They add a L.A. sleazy touch (complete with cowbell) on “Lacey”, “Dancefloor” and “Hollywood”… titles says all. What I like about these guys is the permanent sense of fun into the songs, and although ballsy, their sound is clean and really, really melodious.
Massive also has the ability to write super ballads not losing the punch: “Big Trend Setter” is an awesome hard bluesy midtempo and “Ghost” is drenched with strong riffs somehow recalling Baton Rouge’s most melodic moments. Killer tracks if you ask me.

A more than welcomed surprise has arrived from Australia. Massive’s “Full Throttle” rocks with an energy that will knock your socks off, but with a controlled, focused delivery plenty of melodies and most importantly: very good songs.
Their brand of Hard Rock is clearly inspired by the ’80s L.A. scene, yet without spotting any borrowed riffs or purloined rhythms. They manage to somehow sound like they belong to the lineage of that era without actually sounding like them. It’s got that L.A. vibe but it’s still got that Australiana, four-to-the-floor, badass rock style.
Really well produced and packed with some truly killer rockin’ tunes, “Full Throttle” is an astonishing debut from Down Under’s Massive.
Strongly Recommended.

01. Burn The Sun
02. Hollywood
03. Bring Down the City
04. One By One
05. Big Trend Setter
06. Lacey
07. Dancefloor
08. Ghost
09. Now Or Never
10. Best Of Both Worlds
11. Full Throttle

Brad Marr – Vocals, Guitar
Jarrod Medwin – Drums, Backing Vocals
Ben Laguda – Lead Guitar, Backing Vocals
Aidan McGarrigle – Bass, Backing Vocals

BUY IT !
www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CKC2J2S
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