Ok, then, enough with the pranks with the band’s name.
There are some narratives I just can’t buy. When I hear a band like Jeanicelee with “Urban Legends” my ears go to Metal music. Of course, there is no such thing as pure Metal music. By the way, this idea of purity belongs to another side of life. It’s just another idea that I really don’t buy. But back to Jeanicelee with “Urban Legends” as a Metal album. Some bands for many reasons – that I really understand them, however I don’t buy them – choose not to label themselves as Metal. They’d rather be called Heavy Rock, Hard Rock, or simply Rock. But facts are facts and sometimes it’s really impossible to run away from them. That’s precisely what happens here. If it were the 1980s, this album would easily be labeled as Metal as many other bands as Blacklace, Bitch, Madam X, with female vocalists and musicians. It’s a sonancy that has been linked to Metal music for some time. By the way, I would compare Jeanicelee as a Nightwish with a more NWOBHM grip and some – very subtle – Symphonic traits. Welcome track “Overhaul” doesn’t tell another story. It’s Iron Maiden like main guitar riffing gives the lead making the song strong and hard as iron. The guitars here are strong and prominent as Metal has to be. The same happens with following track “Back in Our Cage” and its strong and prominent guitar riffing. Not as Iron Maiden but definitely with a NWOBHM grip. I guess that “From The Ashes” tells much more about this Metal soul of the band with its guitar solo addressing to the best moments of the mighty Saxon. So goes the album with many other Metal music traits and less Heavy Rock or Hard Rock, from where I’m standing, of course.
Now some words about the Jeanice Lee who holds vocals and gives much of the band’s personality. The girl has a very versatile voice with a great range. The kind of voice that gives songs that special sonancy that makes them remarkable and it’s so hard to find these days of som many operatic singers. Tha kind of common voice that turns into something very special.
I admit that after a writer’s block and listening more than four times to the album, at first, I found it hard to write about it. But writing is a creative action and it doesn’t have a right time or hour to pop up. Inspiration comes when it comes.
Jeanicelee “Urban Legends” was independently released in March.
Track Listing:
- Overhaul
- Back in Our Cage
- From the Ashes
- Liquid Gold
- Never Was
- Divine Red Roses
- Walk away from Me
- The City We Used to Know
Watch “Back in Our Cage” official music video here:
