This review was published in the September 2020 issue of Classic Rock magazine, no. 280.
–
Acoustic guitar replaces wall-quivering distortion, yet this reimagining delivers no lesser quality.
The new-fangled Get Off preserves its cornerstone snarling bass; original echoes of I Miss The Misery disappear before an acoustic backdrop falls in. Brother Hale’s drums and his sister’s incendiary vocals give way to ferocious ode to self-love I Am The Fire. Gone is its former chugging intensity, this version’s a slow burner. Standout gem Break In sees Ms Hale join forces with Evanescence’s Amy Lee for a lesson in powerhouse vocals: “You let me fall apart without letting go.” Hale’s serrated growls replace Whitney Houston’s melisma in a hard rock I Will Always Love You, and layered vocals in the ever-threatening Mz Hyde still warn off any potential suitor. Josh Smith’s distorted bass concludes the album with the same steel-toed grit with which it began.
While these reimagined Halestorm favourites might be realised differently, their essential attitude remains undimmed. Yet another perfect showcase for Lzzy Hale as an unstoppable force of nature.
8/10
A review that was a real pleasure to read. Look forward to what else you have up your sleeve!