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THL: Thirteenth Hell Level

A quick scan over the track listing for the THL debut titled Thirteenth Hell Level, reveals a band willing to put themselves under pressure right from the off. Any outfit taking on the Rolling Stones classic "Honky Tonk Woman" and Steppenwolf staple "Born To Be Wild" is going to have to be a mightily impressive unit, or a cocksure tribe capable of adding something genuinely new to these over familiar numbers. Unfortunately neither come close to fruition in execution or ingenuity, leaving a decided feeling of what was the point in that then? In truth it sets the scene for the rest of this album, where a decent stab at straight up 80s rock fails to really hold the interest. Some of the riffs are nicely worked and singer Cressi Federica possesses real power and range, yet a little less of both and a little more control would find this obviously talented lady serving the songs better.

It isn't all bad news, "Longway To Redemption" introducing a tasteful slice of blues into the rocked up framework and "Master Dominio" opening proceedings with a keen sense of urgency and cool, biting attack. Yet even on these highlights, there's never a suggestion that something truly attention grabbing is likely to break out. Instead THL are a too satisfied to roll with the expected stereotypes and play it safe on an album that quickly fades from memory. Worryingly this lot have already been treading the boards in and around Brescia in Italy for some five years now and while this debut was originally released in 2014, there's a worry that if it has taken that long to work on these numbers, then this may well be as good as THL can get. If that's the case then I'm sure they'll continue to entertain audiences in and around their local area. However with such a huge amount of top quality music out there in the big wide world to choose from, it's hard to suggest they'll grow much beyond that. Thirteenth Hell Level isn't terrible, it just isn't very exciting and considering that the only songs that really stick in the mind are the two pedestrian cover versions, then it looks like it's back to the drawing board for THL.


Track Listing
1. Master Domino
2. Born To Be Wild
3. Really Cruel
4. Honky Tonk Woman
5. Erythroxylum
6. Longway To Redemption
7. War
8. Somewhere
9. Forget
10. Sociopathic

Added: June 30th 2015
Reviewer: Steven Reid
Score:
Related Link: THL on Facebook
Hits: 1572
Language: english

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