THE CASANOVAS: Reptilian Overlord (HARD ROCK): review / opinion to read on Music Waves

The Casanovas is an Australian band that hadn't given news for a little more than five years with their third album, "Terra Casanova" released in 2015. Always loyal to the Bad Reputation label, the trio returns at the end of 2020 with a "Reptilian Overlord" that does not upset the combo's habit of making short albums consisting of equally short tracks.

The length of a record certainly does not prejudge its quality and it is better to make it concise than long and boring. From this point of view, The Casanovas perfectly achieves its goal by unleashing ten raspy titles (only the eponymous title exceeds 5 minutes) on which the energy never fails. Not a single ballad, the slowest track lies in the mid-tempo "Lost And Lonely Dreams" with its good big guitar riffs and its very swaying bass.

All the other tracks are fast, oscillating between punchy hard rock, heavy metal and classic rock. Depending on the mood, the songs are sometimes aggressive, making you want to raise your fist ('Hollywood Riot', 'St Kilda Is Fucked'), sometimes with a groove that makes you want to dance ('Outlaw', 'Stand Back'). The influences are not too marked even if some riffs are undoubtedly reminiscent of AC/DC ('Cold Day In Hell', 'Red Hot'), ZZ Top or Kiss.

If the melodies are linear (only 'Reptilian Overlord' breaks the rule by going from a sharp heavy metal to a groovy and softer hard rock before ending with satanic laughter and a spoken monologue) and the tempo doesn't vary from one end to the other of each song, everything sounds right in this well done hard rock. The mixing, done by Mark Opitz who has done it in the past for bands like AC/DC, INXS, Kiss, Rose Tattoo, gives a very clean sound.

If it does not show any originality and does not bother with embellishment, "Reptilian Overlord" offers a good half hour of a restless pleasure to all those who love direct songs that give desire to move. - Official website

THE CASANOVAS

REPTILIAN OVERLORD

BAD REPUTATION

HARD ROCK