CYANIDE 4 – Everyday Is A Masquerade (2012)
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CYANIDE 4 started a few years ago and played the bars around Athens, Greece, gathering a small but considerable following.
They released a couple of demos and were featured in ‘Reborn In Sleaze; A Tribute To Dave Lepard’ last year that showed both a bit of promise as well as a flair and love for the neo-Scandi glam.
Four years since their formation, they are having their debut “Everyday Is A Masquerade” released by Perris records.
With many and more than many bands emerging from the Northern and Southern edges of Europe after the first wave of Sleaze Rock/Metal outfits like Crashdiet and Hardcore Superstar spotting the music map with their own revival sting, it would no longer be a separate flirt but more of a whole movement dedicated to what the ’80s brought in this style.
And, of course, there would be noble imitators, bands that would try to distance themselves a little bit and others that would try to find a way somewhere in between, which seems to Cyanide’s case.
The music in this CD goes from classic sleaze paving the Vain, Pretty Boy Floyd and Crashdiet lane but also put some claws in speedy uptempo tracks and sees some darkness lurking in between the main guitar melodies and the moody yet soaring chorus lines.
“Hide in the Shadow” opens the album and has a good hook – probably the best song here – driving by a solid rhythm and fluid guitar parts.
On the first single and promo video “Live The Life” the band reminds you ’80s Vain with simple but catchy harmonies, fine riffs and a good chorus.
has a good idea, but the vocals lack conviction and command… being rather nasal and weak. The guy, could have done so much better, had he taken a couple of lessons, but… I guess, nevermind that. The instrumentation is rather spartan, and while the song could have benefited, if it was a bit faster and tighter, that ain’t the case.
“Temptation Failed” starts with a somewhat offbeat riff, and while it’s pretty catchy, the vocals lack conviction and command being rather nasal and weak.
The band turns into a really Sunset Strip sound in “Innocent Alibi”, a wimpy midtempo, followed by “Anything for Fun”, style-wise with a foot on each continent.
“Parody” starts off blasting fast and loud and shows a more hard attack, “Cyanide” sports a quite introspective sound with a cool hook, while “FFL” (fuck-face-look) is a good commercial rocker in the Shotgun Messiah vein.
“Illusion” is the ballad here, a heavy one with a fine melodic line and some keyboards in the background although a bit repetitive.
“Wasting My Time” starts off fast, and feels like you’ve heard it before as it shares ideas from previous tracks but is a pretty damn solid song. Actually, it’s the closest thing they have to a hit – but it doesn’t have a chorus, not a proper one at least.
For the most part “Every Day Is A Masquerade” will please fans of the new wave of Swedish sleaze metal and the eighties Sunset Strip scene as well.
There’s good ideas and several influences at the same time, good instrumentation and a singer that has quite a few shortcoming but shows signs of improvement on certain songs.
Cyanide 4 is a young band and still needs work to cook their own personality but if we bear in mind this is their first full studio attempt the result is acceptable.
Promising new band from Greece.
01 – Hide In The Shadow
02 – Live The Life
03 – Temptation Failed
04 – Innocent Alibi
05 – Anything For Fun
06 – Parody
07 – Cyanide
08 – F.F.L.
09 – Wasting My Time
10 – Illusion
11 – Bad Love Parade
12 – Amnesia
13 – Midnight Heat
G.A. Sinn: Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
Johnyy Slut: Lead Guitar
Nasty George: Bass
Alex Rated: Drums
BUY IT !
www.cdbaby.com/cd/cyanide4
