I had some mixed emotions while listening to Bombus with “Your Blood.” Even though the album doesn’t fit into the weird, but nice category, I had an urge to skip it because I couldn’t decide if the music in here was heavy enough or pleasant enough. The album has an unusual mix of Glam Metal with Old School Heavy Metal and some Industrial Metal, but the later is more of an intent than real sonancy. I guess the vocals give this impression. There is some hints of a 1980’s alternative rock that has never made my mind and why would it now. But, because of all of this, I admit the overall result of the band is something very pleasant to the ears. Some tracks are real gluey with some very charming riffings and instrumentals.
“Your Blood” made me remind of many bands while listening to it. Maybe that was the reason that weighted ‘a lot on my decision to review it. There are dashes of Kiss, Scorpions, Nine Inch Nails, Death SS, Lordi, and why not Alice Cooper – the forefather of all shocking music. To some extent, from where I’m standing, Bombus are some kind of update of 1970’s Hard Rock music with some modern elements. Fredrik Berglund’s vocals helped a lot to this impression with his grave and harsh tone of voice totally which when compared to the instrumentals seem not to fit at all. His voice is heavier than the instrumentals and that’s one the charms of the album. There’s a festive feeling with the instrumentals that don’t fit vocals. Bombus are the kind of band that their iconography is much heavier than the music which is no problem at all to me. Opening track “Killer” has this exact feeling. The fan would expect some hard and virulent Metal with this tittle but what he gets is a festive mood with the guitars and the drumming playing like Kiss’s Peter Criss and Ace Frehley – don’t get me wrong I love them. I just tell what I hear. No more, no less. Ok, sometimes more, sometimes less. On the other hand, this is exactly what I liked – the festive mood with a singalong chorus. I’m still singing it…
After listening to all the album, I admit I got a little confused with the beginning of “The One” and “Take You Down” and their electronic effects and 1980’s alternative Rock feeling, but soon, in the case of “The One,” a strong and decisive guitar came in changing the game. I’m still trying to find where I heard this guitar riff. “Take You Down” got me by the chorus and the delicious cadence. The kind of song you headbang with no reason. That’s exactly what “Your Blood” is in essence: a mix of 1970’s and 1980’s bubble gum Hard Rock and Old School Heavy Metal guitar riffs and some modern elements. What isn’t there to love?
Bombus “Your Blood” will be released on November 01st via Black Lodge Records.
Track Listing:
- Killer
- The One
- No Rules
- Take you down
- Your Blood
- The Beast
- Leave and Let Die
- Carmina
Watch “Killer” official music video here:
I’m just a lucky guy who has chosen metal to live with for a long time. Metal changed my life for good. It made me more confident and stronger. Metalheads are naturally far away from the mass mediocrity and don’t accept impostures from anybody else. Metal is more than music, it’s a life changing oportunity!