Hydrogyn - Deadly Passions 2008

Sometimes things are just not what they appear to be. I will tell you why later on in this review text.

This is musically female fronted metal, as a review of a similar band I did just a week or so before this one I would say that the song writing emphasizes on strong choruses and simple melodies. Julie Westlake the singer has a smooth yet powerful voice and is backed up by quite regular metal riffing of the more melodic kind. There is not much more then to state when it falls on the subject on the purely musical, I think this description will work well.

As we then move on in this review text we look more deeper into what we get. We get ten songs, there is issues with a bonus track as well, but ten or eleven songs. Among these songs, nine or ten are written by the band, the record features a cover of an Alanis Morisette song called You Oughta Know. I actually like to hear bands cover well-known songs so I have no problem whatsoever with them using a cover song on the record.

The album starts with a song called rejection which is a quite straightforward thing with nice verses and a powerful chorus, not the phallos choir thing as in much power metal but a clean powerful song. Then we move on to a song callen On and On which is a hit-type song that could be a radio hit if released for that and decently promoted. Fact is that most songs could be radio hits on this album. Following On and On comes Your Life which is another of those songs that just come one after another on this album, a powerful melodic piece. The title track is next and that is one powerful and catchy song with many hooks and much power behind it. Next track is the cover track where we here another side of the band. Over U is another of those radio type hits on this album. And I can go on like that all the way through,even if Shadow is a bit different and a quite long track as well. My promo issue do not feature the bonus track so I cannot say anything about that track.

So, how about this album then? Well as I stated in the beginning: things are not always what you think. By that I mean that this album doesn’t stink which I actually thought it would when I got it, I don’t know why but that was the impression I got. I am glad I did not pass this record along as it fits my taste very well. The melodies on this record is very good all the way through and I cannot see anything negative about this record. The title track is fantastic and a track you often step back to, after you have heard the following track You Oughta Know that is. The cover is the greatest song by far on this album and a track I have played for six or seven times straight on occasion. I really love that song in this costume, I remember I liked the original as well but this must still be better, it makes a real impact.

More good facts about this album is that the production is great, it is clean without being overpolished which often is a problem today, overpolishing that is. The length of the album if not much linger than vinyl length which is a real plus, the fact is that I often end up wishing there were more tracks which is the best judgement I can pass on a record. And I like the raw power of the vocals in You Oughta Know.

I am pleasantly surprised about this clean yet raw, powerful yet melodic band. This is truly an impressive piece of work and it makes me start thinking about adding it to my collection along with one or two pieces from the discography.

So for your own passion, your deadly passion; pick up this album and listen to it. If it so only consisted of the track You Oughta Know, I would still love this album.

Alanis Morisette, stop making your own albums and start writing music for Hydrogyn.

HHHHHHH