Rebelstar – Rebelstar II Review

Final track 'Love leaves scars' and we finally get to hear a softer side. "Come a little closer and leave the past behind" implores Serge. Every hard / melodic...

rebelstar II cover

Released by: AOR Heaven

Release Date: Out Now!!!

Genre: Hard Rock

Linnks: http://www.rebelstar.nl/

 

Line Up:

Serge Naberman – lead & backing vocals, guitar

Martijn Niggebrugge – guitars, backing vocals

Toine Vanderlinden – bass, backing vocals

Richard van Leeuwen – drums

Andrew Elt & Chriz van Jaarsveld from Sleeze Beez guest on Track 9

 

Tracklist:

01 – Big, Bang, Boom

02 – All For One, One for All

03 – Crucify Me

04 – Sick M.F. [Explicit]

05 – Everyone’s A Star Tonight

06 – Hollywood Creature

07 – Burning Sensation

08 – Look But Don’t Touch

09 – In It For The Money [feat. Sleeze Beez]

10 – Love Leaves Scars

 

Big sound, big production, big, bang, boom!

 

Perfectly balancing old school hard rock with enough modern touches to please the younger generation, Dutch four piece ‘Rebelstar’ release their sophomore album II upon the public.

Having toured successfully with the likes of Helloween, King’s X and Vicious Rumours they’ve also played at prestigious rock and metal festival Masters of Rock in the Czech Republic, spreading their music to a very wide audience.

II opens in the style that is maintained across the 10 tracks and that is fun, loud, hard rock. ‘Big, bang, boom’ really does set the tone of the album with a stunning production job, just going to prove that you don’t need the megabucks and mega producers of old to achieve the same effect these days.

By the time the first track closes and ‘All for one, one for all’ kicks in, it’s easy to assume all listeners will be tapping feet, humming and, if travelling alone in the car, singing along loudly (and most likely out of key if it’s me!) as often as possible. Riff after riff come from Martijn Niggebrugge (guitars, backing vocals) and in true old school style he makes the guitars wail and soar underpinning the great vocal performance from Serge Naberman.

‘Crucify Me’ with it’s chugging riff follows then ‘Sick M.F.’ shows off some vocal FX that wouldn’t be out of place on more modern releases from bands such as Velvet Revolver.

Hints of Scandinavian bands filter through the songs with ‘Everyone’s a star tonight’ reminding me of Pretty Maids, ‘Hollywood Creatures’ horn section and groove sounding very much like Conny Bloom’s Electric Boys.

‘Burning sensation’ would not be out of place on a Reckless Love album, then we have ‘Look but don’t touch’ before a treat for fans of Sleaze Beez in the form of ‘In it for the money’ which features Andrew Eit and Chris van Jaarsveld adding an element if dirt and grime that we’ve come to expect from the afore mentioned rockers.

Final track ‘Love leaves scars’ and we finally get to hear a softer side. “Come a little closer and leave the past behind” implores Serge. Every hard / melodic rock album needs a ballad and with a mere 10 tracks on offer this solitary closer is the perfect finale to a bloody excellent album.

Permanent Disaster , the debut album from Rebelstar is also available and well worth tracking down.

 

Written by Adrian

Ratings    Adrian    8/10

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