MelodicRock.com Reviews


HEALING SIXES
ENORMOSOUND
Indie Release
Produced by: Kevin Shirley
Released: TBA / Website
Relatives: Soundgarden, Zakk Wylde
GENRE: Modern Rock
OVERALL: 85%

  1. Intro
  2. Wild Horses
  3. Make You Learn
  4. Travelogue
  5. Pride
  6. End Of Conversation
  7. Slag Pit
  8. The Half Life
  9. Down For Otis
  10. Trailer Park Girl
  11. Painted Ceilings
  12. I Don't Care

Like most records with Kevin Shirley behind the desk, this sounds like a million bucks.
Fresh from his recent work with Journey, Shirley moved to a pet project of his own. Healing Sixes is a little bit different than what he has been involved with in the past.
Firstly, the band didn't come to him from a label, they are as yet unsigned, with Shirley also helping the band market the record, with everything from artwork to taking pre-orders from his website. For the record, the band features Jason Bonham on drums, lead vocalist Doug Henthorn, Eric Saylors on guitar and Chaz Winzenread on bass.
This is a hugely commercial record - for the style it is. I seriously cannot believe it hasn't been snatched up by a major label.
In a time where Creed are ruling the airwaves, but Pearl Jam and Stone Temple Pilots can only get their
classics played, this record will shine brightly for those fans of the genre.
One thing - it's commercially friendly tunes might have had an easier path to rock radio a couple of years back. Not that this is a grunge record, but it definitely has some familiar elements to the 90's rock phenomenon that brought us Stone Temple Pilots, Soundgarden, Pearl Jam and Alice In Chains.
There is, however, far more to this record and that is what makes it so thoroughly commercial.
While definitely in the style of the above bands, it has a more soulful and bluesy edge, bordering on a classic 70's rock sound. Much of the modern sound must be attributed to vocalist Doug Henthorn. His sound and delivery remind me of Marti Frederiksen's vocal effort, fronting the Almost Famous featured fictional band Stillwater. He is a very strong vocalist and quite a discovery.
The tempo of the album varies from dark, heavy slow to medium tempo hard blues numbers to the odd more stripped back track, like the closing track I Don't Care and End Of Conversation.
Then you have the other side of the coin, with a few big uptempo rockers like Slag Pit and Trailer Park Girl. That track, for example, is a major slice of Led Zeppelin inspired blues rock with a modern edge.
In places this record reminds me of the heavy rhythm section of Zakk Wylde's solo records.
BOTTOM LINE: A very very good record. Style wise, you are going to have to pick whether it falls into your taste range, but if it does, you will be pleased.
Perfectly produced and excellently executed by some professional musicians. If you loved the heavier music feature in Almost Famous, plus like a taste of modern rock and like the big heavy rhythm of a powerful record, this could be for you!
PRODUCTION: 90% SONGS: 80% VIBE: 80%ATTITUDE: 90%
ESSENTIAL FOR: Modern rock fans, 90's rock fans and some heavy classic rock fans.



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