SIDEBURN: #eight (HARD ROCK): review / opinion to read on Music Waves

Sideburn has been delighting us with his Australian-style hard-rock for 32 years now, even if his first attempts under the name Genocide were more in the heavy metal repertoire. As its name indicates, "#Eight" is the eighth album of the band under its current name, the tenth of its entire discography, and the second one with its new line-up renewed at 3/5. With an excellent hold, "Electrify" (2013) essentially resembled a stabilization, confirming the artistic formula and installing the three newcomers. Since then, the group has had the opportunity to climb several floors in terms of international recognition. First of all, they joined forces with the three-band brand for the Adidas Rockstars event, where they wrote the title 'Rockstar'. And then there were those two titles included in movie soundtracks ('Knockin' At The Wrong Door' for 'Hit And Run', and 'Six Feet Under' for 'Wolverine: The Fight of the Immortal').

So with these lines in his resume, the band is not looked at the same way anymore and the expectations are different for the release of his new opus. However, the Swiss quintet doesn't seem to have suffered from this new pressure and continues to serve us this hard-rock whose roots are clearly planted in the soil of the land of kangaroos, but with a recipe whose few variations of ingredients are enough to keep the interest intact. Most of the tracks are potential hits with catchy choruses and rely on the metronomic drums of Lionel Blanc.

If Roland Pierrehumbert's raspy and haunting vocals remain Sideburn's main trademark, the complementarity of the two guitarists is a new weapon that begins to take full effect on this opus. The single 'Turn Away' is one of the best examples of this, with Lina and Ruffart succeeding in proposing distinct and complimentary lines at the same time, while providing the backing vocals with talent. Among the tracks to remember are 'Call Me A Doctor' and 'Long Road To Paradise' on which the Swiss accelerate the tempo with tremendous efficiency. Cooler, 'Get You Ride On' has an irresistible groove while the slide interventions reinforce a very southern atmosphere. On 'Driving On The Main Line', the vocalist take out the harmonica and even has a great duel with the guitar for a new and exciting solo. As for 'Give Me A Sign', it's a riff on the border between 'Start Me Up' and 'Highway To Hell'. Last but not least, there is the tribute to Lemmy during the cover of the unavoidable 'No Class' on which the Rickenbacker of the legend is missing.

With no time out and no weak title, "#Eight" confirms Sideburn's new status as a leader. The quartet has now taken its marks and nothing seems to be able to stop its triumphal march towards the summits of an efficient hard-rock, without pretense, but always keeping a slight melodic touch. If the roots are assumed without shame, they no longer represent the slightest shadow in the picture of a strong and inescapable identity. - Official website

SIDEBURN

#EIGHT

FASTBALL

HARD ROCK