Torture Tunes
Wasteland Rocks
(A collection of original material)
Wasteland Rocks are a classic heavy metal act from Ålesund, Norway with traces of alternative and progressive influences also present in their sound. They have several releases that include cover songs, but for the sake of this review I will be looking at their original tracks, an EP’s worth, which, in my opinion, is what really matters.
“I Say Burn” was the first of their original tracks that I heard. It’s a slow driving tune with a sinister groove to it. Vocalist Linda Eidset has a powerful and surprisingly deep air raid siren of a voice. I can hear the influence of Bruce Dickinson, Rob Halford and (especially in “Princess”) Layne Staley in her vocal style.
The aforementioned “Princess” is also a slow burn rocker with nods to both Alice In Chains and Black Sabbath. Although there are some vocal nuances that bear an uncanny resemblance to Layne Staley, I really enjoyed this track – both vocally and instrumentally.
“The Last Drop” speeds up the tempo from the previous two songs. I don’t think Linda’s vocals are as impressive on this track as they are in the other material. I’m not fond of the build-up that she does at the beginning of each verse. I don’t know why but she seems just slightly hoarse on this recording, quite a contrast from the excellent vocal work in “I Say Burn”. I do, however, really like the guitar solo.
Wasteland Rocks
Wasteland Rocks EP
(Self-Released)
Written by: Richard Leggatt
8 out of 10
Now, in the time it took me to clear my plate enough to get around to reviewing Wasteland Rocks’ material, they’ve actually released a brand new single: “Werewolf”, which is by far their most interesting and dynamic tune to date. I really enjoyed the abrupt time changes and the general gothic moodiness of this song. Structurally speaking it’s quite different from their previous material and promises great things to come from Wasteland Rocks!
I really don’t think that Wasteland Rocks needs to spend valuable studio time recording covers. I mean, I get that having a repertoire of cover material might be a necessary evil when seeking out gigs. But their focus should really be on their original material. After hearing their latest single I am looking forward to (what I hope will be) an upcoming album from Wasteland Rocks.
Richard Leggatt, HMS
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