Lullacry - Crucify My Heart


Year of Release: 2003
Label: Century Media
Catalog Number: 8191
Format: CD
Total Time: 43:06:00

Lullacry are a modern take on a style of music that we've not heard since the 80s into the early 90s, when Pat Benatar was one of the biggest names in female-fronted rock music. Now, Lullacry's sound is often much heavier than Benatar's, and that's where the modern take aspect comes in. One cannot deny that Benatar rocked, of course, and was a far cry from the hollow sounding, dance-focused pop that rules the airwaves now - yes, you know the names. Well, update that Benatar sound with a heavier, metal-tinged instrumentation, and you have Lullacry. That instrumentation comes from Sami Vauhkonen on lead guitar, Sauli Kivilahti on guitar, Heavy on bass, and Jukka Outinen on drums. All of them play in a style that mixes a metal drive with a rock attitude. Guitars chime as well as crunch, more of the former than the latter, however. It's nice to hear lots of clean guitar sounds and pretty leads in amongst a "dirtier," distorted sound. Outinen keeps a steady beat that keeps each track moving forward. And there's keys in there, too, courtesy of Jameye. This gives Lullacry a nice rich and bright sound. Their metal attack is a little more intense (as on "This Time") than the hard rock of Benatar.

What really gives this the Benatar feel though is vocalist Tanja, who sings in that sweet-tough chick way that Benatar had (and has) - that the tough front hides a fragility inside. Crucify My Heart, released last year, actually sounds a lot like what Benatar was doing circa Gravity's Rainbow rather than Precious Time -- think "All Fired Up" rather than "Heartbreaker." The Benatar feel is apparent in the punchy, ballsy "Pitch Black Emotions" (perhaps their heaviest track), in the moody power-ballad "Unchain" that follows, and in the gloomy "Heart Of Darkness," which is one of the few that seems as like early Benatar. Interestingly enough, "Pitch Black Emotions" -- a track where you cannot deny the metal aspect of this band, with its heavy layer of guitars, bass and drums right up front with vocals -- also made me think of Loverboy's "Working For The Weekend," too, instrumentally speaking.

So, what you can expect is engaging metal with a pop sheen. Track after track you get radio friendly music, any one of which could be a hit single. "Every Single Day" comes across a little different, a little more metal with a "dirty," churning rhythm, Tanja's delivery a little less popish - edgier in way. And yet, it still has the makings of a hit. But don't think a pop-metal appearance makes for bright and sunny lyrics, there is a dark undertone to nearly every track. And while you'd think "Nothing To Lose" would be the track about depression (it's seems to be about the freedom in "cheating"), instead it's "Heart Of Darkness," which doesn't reference the Conrad classic (and we know that Benatar wasn't all upbeat pop either, as "Hell Is For Children" alone would prove).

This engaging release is a joy to listen to; great performances in a collection of songs that are catchy and memorable. There are a couple of songs that are good, but don't leave the same kind of lasting impression that most of the material does - those two tracks being "This Time" and "Over Me," but as they come at the end of the album, and the album ends with the highlight of "Better Days," these are minor "flaws" on another wise very good album.


Tracklisting:
Alright Tonight (3:25) / Crucify My Heart (3:42) / Don't Touch The Flame (3:40) / Every Single Day (3:37) / Pitch Black Emotions (3:19) / Unchain (5:25) / Heart Of Darkness (4:07) / This Time (3:27) / Over Me (4:19) / Better Days (4:16)

Musicians:
Tanja - vocals
Sauli Kivilahti - guitar
Sami Vauhkonen -lead guitar
Heavy - bass
Jukka Outinen - drums

Discography:
Sweet Desire (1999)
Be My God (2001)
Crucify My Heart (2003)
Vol. 4 (2005)

Genre: Melodic Metal

Origin FI

Added: May 16th 2004
Reviewer: Stephanie Sollow
Score:
Artist website: www.lullacry.com
Hits: 2521
Language: english

  

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