EP REVIEW: Second Load – Pretty Little Enemy
PRETTY LITTLE ENEMY are releasing their second EP Second Load on the heels of last year’s Bitch Please! And it seems they have no intention of slowing down. Their sound will be familiar to fans of DIE MANNEQUIN or more nostalgic hard rock like THE DONNAS.
The first track of the EP Get a Grip starts with a punchy riff, a syncopated drum beat and heaps of attitude from frontwoman Louise Body Who has a great voice for the genre. The softer moments of the song are very melodic, and almost pop-y, which lends credence to the band’s claim to be the ‘Metal ABBA’. The small injections of acoustic guitar compliment the heavier drums and riffs perfectly, making Get a Grip a powerful catchy and rather pretty introduction to the release.
Collide is just as catchy as the first track, just as happy, and just as fun. PRETTY LITTLE ENEMY are very much in keeping with a long tradition of rock bands who make great party music. This song too, is shot through with heavier moments, some great drumming from Ben Dean and a few wonderfully chunky guitar riffs which blur the lines between metal and rock and make the band just that bit more unique.
A personal favourite, Play by the Rules is a little more melodic than the previous tracks, and showcases every band member’s abilities perfectly. Louise’s vocals during the chorus are full of feeling, and sound much more gentle than on the rest of the album, they invite the listener to sing along. Ben Dean has some wonderful fills and rolls in this track too, not too showy or in your face, but constantly well performed in the back of the song. For Georgia Bell the lead guitarist, this is a stand out track, some excellent riffs (made all the more powerful by Jason Coles’ bass accompaniment) are punctuated with excellent solo skill, making this a great all rounder and a solid climax for the EP.
The final track of the release is It’s all Just a Show and here things are mixed up a bit. For the bass players out there, in this track Jason Cole really gets to shine with a more present bass line than in the other tracks, from the get go (literally 8 seconds into the song) he is the star of this show. The rest of the band perform well too, Georgia has some really fun riffs in this song, a bit further removed from the metal roots than the first three songs, but more memorable and intricate. There are some noticeable genre tropes in this song, the breakdown at 2:30 is assuredly tried and tested, not original but well performed. All in all a good end to a great EP.
Rating: 8/10
Second Load is out now via self-release.
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