CD Review

With the Foo Fighters’s commercial breakthrough, there’s no denying that hard rock can be gulped into mass appeal. With countless shaggy "the" bands garaging it up these days, count Burning Brides into the batch of the "other" bands to help save rock. Thrusting with corrosive vocals and dirty guitars, Burning Brides bring barren lyrics but a sweaty rock n' roll game face.

Produced by George Drakoulious (Black Crowes, Tom Petty)the trio’s second album, Leave No Ashes, elevates front man Dimitri Coats as the star. The 80’s metal theme mix of songs like "Heart Full of Black", "Dance With The Devil," and "Leave No Ashes" are indeed "burning", while containing moments of pop hooks underneath the thundering beats.

The formula for these songs are simple: the same four or five chords surfacing above the dark lyrical overtones amidst a handful of guitar solos, providing the band a sense of showmanship and urgency. A few surprise instruments like piano, percussion and organ appear, most noticeable in "Last Man Standing," showcasing the "bride" elements of the band, which don’t translate well into the live mission of Leave No Ashes. Other numbers like "To Kill A Swan" and the muddy "Vampire Waltz" are grungy and make one wonder just how exactly the Burning Brides are trying to define their sound. Take what you want from this release, but you’ll feel obliged to roll your car windows down a bit lower when blasting the Brides.