Album Review by Mark Bayross
Rock music is going through a bit of a renaissance and even the corporate pap machine can’t dampen that fact: Limp Bizkit on TOP OF THE , Queens Of The Stone Age in the tabloids and Slipknot everybloodywhere. While the Americans have been conquering these shores with a steady nu-metal assault, the British rock/metal scene has been trying its damnedest to return the favour.
Fifth Amendment allegedly formed the day the band, driving to a gig, knocked Scots redhead Alli MacInnes off her scooter at a traffic lights. She apparently scared the shit out of the three lads to such an extent that they had no choice but to recruit her. And so the legend was born…
Since that fateful Deus Ex Machina moment, Fifth Amendment have been amassing plaudits from the UK rock press and adding considerable weight to that renaissance. This self-titled debut comes a year after their introductory PRAELUDIUM EP, and it’s easy to see why they have been turning so many heads.
Fusing electronics with searing guitars, the music veers from Garbage-style grooves (IMPLANT, DARK ANGEL) to full-on brick-in-the-face power (recent single HEAVE, opener SCARED AM I). While the quality of the musical backdrop cannot be denied, it is Alli’s vocal delivery that really draws the attention, escalating from sultry murmur to primal roar, but with no loss of melody.
Sure, songs like FREEZING may wander into stadium ballad territory, but when they follow up with the snarling punk noise of CAMERA SHY all is forgiven.
The formula may not be the most original in the world (I’m sure Skunk Anansie would agree), but you can never have too many high quality 21st century rock bands, and their flame-haired front-woman is a star in waiting.
Catch them live while they are still playing clubs ‘cos, come next year, they’ll be filling major venues.
