Lillian Axe is one of those 80's era bands that slipped under my radar as I was making my first in roads into music. At the time, I was getting into the more popular acts, so while I remember the name kicking around, they never made it to my player.
Now, fourteen years removed from their last studio album, Lillian Axe is back with their 6th full length release, and it sounds good. Very good in fact. It's a strong album which focuses on the songwriting, with finely crafted rock songs and an absense of any excessive frills.
Waters Rising marks the return of the band with a new singer. Former lead singer Ron Taylor, resigned from the band in 2004 and was replaced by Derrick Lefevre. Now, without any past experience with them, I have no real grounds for comparing the two singers. But I can say that Lefevre delivers the goods. He doesn't really have a great range — at least as evidenced by this album — but he does fit the band very well. Lefevre delivers just the right inflection, and brings a lot of weight to the material. His fine vocal performance combines just right with the very melodic riff-centric music and nicely crafted solos from band leader Steve Blaze.
The album starts with the title track, opening with solo guitar before kicking into full rock mode. "Waters Rising" gives a good indication of the rest of the album, but it is far from the strongest on the disk. Still, it proved to be a good introduction to the band, with its nicely melodic verses and a more edgy chorus riff. It is followed by the darkly, and melodically atmospheric "Antarctica."
But it wasn't until the third track that everything began to sink in for me. Track three, "Become a Monster," is definitely one of the heavier tracks on the set. There was something about the heavy riffs, nice drumming, and vocal pattern that really sucked me in.
The mood keeps it up through the next two songs, although the sound is different. First up is "Quarantine," which slows the pace a bit, has a nice crunchy guitar riff, but showcases some really nice songwriting, with each instrument falling neatly into place. This is followed by one of the finest songs here, "I Have to Die, Goodbye." It is a rather depressing tune that brings acoustic guitar and bongos to the mix in a song about love, loss, and the inability to move on.
Article comments
1 - Mike Lawler
Lillian Axe is such a great band and the new vocalist Derrick Lefevre is amazing , he reminds me alot of former vocalist Ron Taylor(My all-time favorite vocalist!).....This album is great, very atmospheric, dark, heavy....Yet extremely melodic!...Steve Blaze is the greatest underrated vocalist/songwriter of all time......And I do agree with the review this album isn't breaking any new ground but who cares when the songs are just this good.....I give this album a perfect 10/10.....And yes I agree the cover art is lame.
2 - Mike Lawler
I meant to say Steve Blaze is the greatest underrated guitarist/songwriter of all time!...My bad
3 - King of Rock
Judas Rising is opening for them tomorrow. This guy must feel real dumb.
4 - Chris Beaumont
Why is that?
5 - Lioness
Judas Rising was amazing. Lillian axe had a great sound too. But Rising is unreal! How these guys never age after all these years!
6 - Marta
Just another fan. Do a write up on the 9/14 show! Lillian axe and judas rising rocked!
7 - King of Rock
Fat, Fat, and more Fat! Don't you exercise?
8 - Chris Beaumont
What are you rambling about?
9 - Brian aka Guppusmaximus
your fat ass! LOLOLOLOLOL!!! Slave!
10 - Brian aka Guppusmaximus
Obviously, for that kind of cash, they still can't train you out of your stupidity.
If these are the fans, I can only picture how f*cking retarded the band is...
11 - Dirk Benedict
I think Lillian axe should hang it up. The CD wasn't bad, but there attendance records are terrible at shows.
12 - Skunk
The Judas Rising/ Lillian Axe show was awesome. Lillian Axe wasn't bad either.