Frontiers Records (Release date 22.3.13)
I was reminded what a long career Pretty Maids have enjoyed when, a couple of years back, a well-oiled singer Ronnie Atkins burst into a curry house after Firefest and regaled us diners with tales of touring with Saxon in the mid eighties. The Danish rockers seem to have enjoyed a new lease of life certainly on the evidence of this, their first release in three years.
The opening tracks Mother of All Lies and To Fool a Nation get the album off to a flyer, taking the melodic hard rock of a Gotthard, but giving it a more progressive, almost epic and metallic edge. The Iceman and the title track are typically fast paced slices of European hard rock, the former with one of the classic duels that have been a Pretty Maids hallmark over the years between Ken Hammer’s guitar and Morten Sandager‘s extravagant keyboards.
Two things strike you about the album- one is a big, but contemporary sounding production from Jacob Hansen that really does the songs justice.
The other is the ease with which they slip into a variety of styles. In successive songs we move from the mainstream melodic rock of Sad to See You Suffer, to Hooligan which is as brutal as its style , to a lush ballad in Infinity.
Ronnie Atkins in particular can turn a rough edged vocal style on and off at will, although i must admit the harsher style can become grating.
Later on they repeat the trick as the commercial hooks of Bullet for You are followed by Who, What, Where which will appeal more to the denizens of Wacken where they are slated to play later this year.
While the diversity of material may be a bit disconcerting, the Danes have produced an album that must rank along their finest and has a streak of quality running through it.
****
Review by Andy Nathan
Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK
Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.
In 2023 he signed a recording deal with Sony in Canada and released a new single on 15 September.
Next session: Sunday 1 December
Check out videos here: https://www.facebook.com/getreadytorockradio
David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 20 October 2024.
UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 22 October 2024.
How to Listen Live?
Click the programming image at the top of the page (top right of page if using desktop)
Listen via Windows Media Player. Click or tap here and “open file”
Listen via other media player (eg. VLC) Click or tap here and “open file”
Get Ready to ROCK! Radio is also in iTunes under Internet Radio/Classic Rock
Listen in via the Tunein app and search for “Get Ready to ROCK!” and save as favourite.
More information and links at our radio website where you can listen again to shows via the presenter pages: getreadytorockradio.com
Power Plays w/c 28 October 2024
THE RASMUS Rest In Pieces (Better Noise Music)
THE PLAGUE What Else Can I Do (FiXT)
STAR CIRCUS Turn The Tide (indie)
DEFENCES Breathe It In (Long Branch Records)
Featured Albums w/c 28 October 2024
09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Singer Songwriter)
PDF - you can delete unwanted sections
