Blistering’s own Matt Coe picked this album as his top choice for the year, so when I was given this assignment to review the album I was very curious about it. First, Matt went on to say that it touches all the classic 80’s hallmarks and that if you like John Sykes-era Whitesnake you will truly enjoy this release. I totally agree with him on both fronts, and I will go one step further and say classic Dokken and John Sykes’ other band Blue Murder comes to mind as a point of reference, too. In fact, the similarities to Blue Murder are quite eerie in many respects, given the classy sound melded together with strong melodies and great guitar hooks.
It was a shame about Blue Murder’s quick demise after only releasing one album under that moniker, but Love.Might.Kill has picked up the mantle and completely ran with it. Now I am not saying they are a carbon copy of that type of specific sound, but the penchant to write solid songs is there. You could even argue over the homage to Dio, Whitesnake and of course the Pretty Maids, but again the band is so much more. They have a strong Euro power metal base coursing through the melodies and it only serves to endow them with that ‘big sound’ found throughout this release.
2 Big 2 to Fail is the title of the band’s sophomore release, sounding colossal throughout the fifty minutes of running time. The big riffs found on a track like “Home” drive the band’s core sound and the up tempo catchiness of “Burn the Night” and “Xtc” prove the band can create distinct sounds with that familiar Euro flair of a band like Silent Force. When you get to songs like “2 Big 2 Fail” and “Alone” the tempo dips a bit, allowing vocalist Jan Manenti to strive for an emotional range that is quite impressive. Some have compared him to Dio and Coverdale, but his style is more emulation rather than just being a second rate copy. He has a great voice overall and truly carries the band with much conviction as all good frontmen should.
The musicianship is excellent and the rich production is handled by drummer Michael Ehre (who’s had stints in Firewind and Metalium). He obviously understands the essence of Euro power metal and brings out the vital moments of modern hard rock and harmonic/neoclassical metal. All the arrangements are memorable and after a few listens the hooks stick with you and it won’t be long before you find yourself singing along.
It’s great how Love.Might.Kill have thrown together all their influences in a blender and spun it into a modern twist, creating rock ‘n roll with symphonic overtones in the process. You don’t find many bands these days with this type of flair in their sound, but I am glad a band like this can carry on in the grand traditions of 80’s metal.
(This content originally appeared on Blistering.com)