Beast are a high energy rock n roll band from Sweden, some call this speed punk and some call it all manner of things! ‘Dead or Alive’ is their debut album release that is presented in a real nice digi -pack format, of course, other formats are also available via the label.
The formula is simple, make a racket, add some hooks, you have a winner. Or do you? I like this, but it does sit more into the punkier field than the bluesy rock n roll reminiscent of the now defunct Helicopters. That said, I don’t mean that is it bad, it just sounds very similar track to track. Some of the highlights include ‘Dead or Alive’ and ‘Nightmare’ which adds some more character to be fair than the remainder of the release that tends to follow the same arrangement formula time after time. The album was recorded with engineer Konie Ehrencrona who some In Solitude fans may recognise and Dead Lord’s Hakim Krim also features on the track ‘Outracin’ Hell’. The band has balls, they are very loud, but your love for this may depend on your mood at the time.
In short, this is not a bad effort, I won’t say its ground breaking, but it is enjoyable. Although I have to admit that from one listen to another you form a different opinion, I do anyway as I indicated earlier.
(6.5/10 Paul Maddison)
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