I only got to hear about the Barb Wire Dolls fairly recently, but after listening to this album several times, and having watched a few of their super-charged videos, I am now truly converted.
Seems like this album has been a while in the making, as the original album “Slit” came out in 2012. The band are a five piece outfit comprising vocalist Isis Queen, Pyn Doll on lead guitar, Iriel Blaque on bass, along with Remmington on rhythm, and last but by no means least, Krash Doll on drums.
“Desperate” is hard to define as it doesn’t really fit in to any particular genre. It’s a cross between classic old school punk and rock/metal, and should easily appeal to both factions.
First up is “Drown”, an angst ridden track, with the band crunching through the up-tempo pace, with vocalist Isis in fine form. This song sets the pace for the rest of the album.
Next we get “Surreal” with a full throttle guitar lead, setting the tone before the ever powerful vocals of Isis kick in. This takes me back to the early days of Seattle Grunge and the classic sound of the early 90’s, with hints of Nirvana. The track runs at a fair pace that will have you bouncing about good style.
Old school heavy rock guitar leads into the next track, “Take Me Home”. There are so many familiar sound bites on this song it’s hard to pin them down, but with the stunning production it sounds so fresh and the quality shines through.
“Heart Attack” gives a bow to a very evident Sex Pistols style, a solid dose of old school punk will guarantee future audiences jumping for joy, literally! Evidently there are not many bands out there playing this style anymore? At least if there are, they aren’t getting the attention they deserve. Hopefully The Dolls will set the standard for a new wave of heavy/punk rock.
The title track, punk/rock number “Desperate” showcases Isis’s laid back vocals blending in perfectly with the solid guitar work.
“Blind to your Misery” has a slightly gentler acoustic opener, which is soon shattered as Isis kicks in with her blinding vocals, complemented beautifully by Iriel on bass. This track rocks at a great pace, and is probably one of the standout numbers on this album.
“I will Sail” features the more soulful side of Isis whilst the rest of the band rock out behind her, as she sails away. This track showcases the diversity of the band, rocking out one minute and then bringing us back down with a more mellow sound that still retains the power that we expect from the Barb Wire Dolls.
“Darby Crash” smashes in old school style, and is reminiscent of Siouxsie and the Banshees in places.
“Problem of the Poet” has all the band going for it as we enter this track, with Iriel in particular standing out. Isis reckons she doesn’t give a damn here but I reckon she does. I do believe someone will come and save her soul with a voice like that.
So to the last track on the new album, “Rhythm Method”, which sees the band sounding like a moody homage to early UK punk with Isis stating that she does not want to sell her love, a stunning end to the album.
This is a collection of tracks where they have combined the spirit from their earlier work with singer Isis Queen achieving a more laid back sound at times, but what helps this album to stand-out are the guitar riffs from lead guitarist Pyn Doll, and with new rhythm guitarist Remmington the band have a much fuller, tighter guitar sound. This is a band happy with who they are and where they are, no airs or graces what you see is what you get. No wonder they signed with Motorhead Music, with Lemmy having such a similar ethos.
Here’s hoping for a long and lustrous career for this exciting new band.
Track List:
- Drown
- Surreal
- Take Me Home
- Heart Attack
- Desperate
- Blind To Your Misery
- I Will Sail
- Darby Crash
- Problem Of The Poet
- Rhythm Method
