Review: Sister Sin – True Sound of the Underground

Artist: Sister Sin
Album: True Sound of the Underground
Genre: Heavy Metal
Label: Victory

Forming from the ashes of hair products and excessive make up of the 80’s metal era comes Sister Sin. Their old-school approach reminisce the glory days when Mötley Crüe where taking the world by storm in their tight leather pants and debauchery lifestyle. Sister Sin stand to reclaim the throne without masking their appearance with traditional glam metal standards but their music is nothing short of a blast from the past. This Sweden outfit has existed since 2002 but it wasn’t until 2008 that they released their debut album Switchblade Serenades and stapled their sound, which would have felt at home on the Sunset Strip back in the day. Two years later they have returned and if you’re looking for power ballads or pop tunes than their newest offering, True Sound of the Undergroundis not for you.

Further delving deeper into the raw, dirty rock n’ roll side of heavy metal, Sister Sin incorporate more unadulterated energy from their slash-laden guitars. Essentially True Sound of the Underground picks up where Switchblade Serenades left off but their natural progression affirms a step further in growth. Their songs are simply constructed, paying homage to their ancestors by binding punishing rhythms, fast-paced tempos and a capacious amount of solos. Title track, “Sounds of the Underground,” opens with their “in-your-face” battle plan set. Vocalist Liv continues to staple her claim as one of metal’s premiere female frontwomen. She may not have the best voice but her edgy delivery compliments the style of their music well. “Outrage” follows as the catchiest track on the album and is chock full of fist-pumping moments. After an empowering spoken section on, “Better Than Them,” comes “24/7” which finds its home at the other end of the quality spectrum. This song offers little more than a careless song structure and subpar vocals.

“Built to Last,” and “I Stand Alone,” picks up the speed and gives way to the delegated gem, “Time Aren’t A-Changing.” Much like their other songs, this one has an up-tempo sleaze rock vibe with catchy choruses you can sing along with. Liv’s powerful pipes live up to her full potential on this piece and the riffs are piercing and unleashes pure energy. What makes this album stand out is the attitude and aggression that’s present from opening bars to the finale notes.

Dig in your closet and pull out the tight leather pants and studded jewelry you know you’ve been hanging onto over the years and if anything just crank up the music on your way to purchase more hairspray. Technically speaking, the songs are quite simple by consistently delivering a standard riff, an infectious chorus with an intricate solo but more often than not they get away with it. They don’t offer anything revolutionary but their old-school sound will leave earlier metal fans rejoicing with their fists in the air. Sister Sin is essentially a band that wears their influences on their sleeves and pays homage to a trend that’s been laid to rest since the grunge era flourished and sent it packing.

Score: 7/10
Review written by: Nerissa Judd

James Shotwell
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