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"The Finns are once again able to renew and regenerate themselves while continuing to impose a strong identity for a modern hard-rock assuming its roots."
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4/5
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It was to be expected and this is only fair: after a flawless start to his recording career and intensive tours, including one in the States as the opening act for Sebastian Bach, Santa Cruz has attracted the attention of the greatest names. This is how the Helsinki quartet ended up in Rolling Stone magazine's Top 10 "must discover bands" for their "flamboyant and debauched flair"!
And this "Bad Blood Rising" does not risk slowing down the group's ascent to the heights promised to it. Continuing to combine power and melody, Santa Cruz once again succeeded in enriching its recipe with new elements. What is most impressive is that each addition never compromises the coherence of the ensemble or distorts the identity that the quartet has forged since its inception. Whether it is an acoustic "Breathe" with a whistle-blowing and haunting melody worthy of Guns N'Roses' album "Lies", or a "Pure Fucking Adrenaline" with energy, flirting between Mötley Crüe's "Primal Scream" and a melodic thrash close to Metallica, each track brings a beneficial new development and fits into an already rich set. If the fast soli of the two guitars are already recognized as a trademark, they are reinforced here by Archie's increasingly mastered vocals, which transmits both anger ('Back From The Dead' and its rapped verses, improbable encounter between Skid Row and Rage Against The Machine) and a real feeling ('Drag Me Out Of The Darkness', a mid-tempo ballad that reveals a modest fragility).
To this list of titles worth a visit, it is necessary to add "Fire Through Our Veins" to the wording reminiscent of the latest Imagine Dragons, a "Voice Of The New Generation" combining a powerful bass with a few electro elements, or a "Bad Habits Die Hard" that flirts with territories usually frequented by Reckless Love's friends and compatriots, adding saturated guitars to a festive spirit. In the midst of a powerful and devastating energy, Santa Cruz has also preserved some tracks of softness, digging here a groove started on the previous opus with'Can You Feel The Rain', while varying the approaches of the style. Alongside the mid-tempo 'Drag Me Out Of The Darkness' and the acoustic 'Breathe','Get Me Out Of California' takes the path of a US power ballad worthy of the Poison and other Guns N'Roses with a "slash-like" solo. Closer to previous albums, the hymn 'Young Blood Rising' or a 'River Phoenix' varying the tempo and benefiting from a new version at the end of the album ('River Phoenix, Part. 2') act as a link without reducing the intensity of the whole.
With such a demonstration, Santa Cruz continues to climb its way to the top with insolent success and dazzling talent. It is impressive to see such a young band being able to renew and regenerate itself with each album while imposing a strong identity. The road to global recognition seems clear and there is a good chance that the Finns will continue to follow it while pushing back limits that they are not used to accepting and respecting. - Official website
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TRACK LISTING:
01. Young Blood Rising - 3:46
02. River Phoenix - 3:36
03. Fire Running Through Our Veins - 3:49
04. Drag Me Out Of The Darkness - 4:15
05. Breathe - 4:16
06. Voice Of The New Generation - 3:22
07. Back From The Dead - 3:49
08. Bad Habits Die Hard - 3:26
09. Pure Fucking Adrenaline - 3:44
10. Get Me Out Of California - 5:20
11. River Phoenix, Pt. 2 - 4:17
LINEUP:
Arttu "archie" Kuosmanen: Chant / Guitares
Joonas "johnny" Parkkonen: Guitares
Mitja "middy" Toivonen: Basse
Tapani "taz" Fagerström: Batterie
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STAFF:
4/5 (1 view(s))
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IN RELATION WITH SANTA CRUZ (FIN)
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