Artist: Blessed By A Broken Heart
Album: Feel The Power
Genre: Rock/Metal
Label: Tooth & Nail

There are many subgenres thriving in the world of metal today, but none can truly contain the powerhouse that is Canada’s Blessed By A Broken Heart. By bringing together 80’s metal, modern alternative rock, and just a dash pop, BBABH have etched a legacy all their own in the industry and nothing has made that more clear than their Tooth & Nail debut, Feel The Power.

Forging a path in the modern music landscape is tricky, you have to not only catch the ear of listeners who are constantly being flooded with new sounds, you also have to maintain that attention long enough to gain their (hopefully eventually financial) support. Blessed By A Broken Heart recognize this and waste no time ramping their sound up to eleven on Power‘s opener, “Deathwish.” The track is fast, breakneck in fact, and filled with more than enough synth-laced, guitar-crazed metal goodness to make anyone feel supercharged and the power of rock and roll. This energy level is then amplified by ten as “Shut Up And Rock” calls back to a time when Motley Crue were still considered the most badass band in all the land. Even without a video or visual component, this track screams epic journey on a dusty road, perhaps featuring multiple battles with mythological beasts, and plenty of good times with friends. A memorable one-two opener if there ever was one.

After the initial tracks have played through, some may begin to wonder if BBABH have what it takes to keep interest high throughout Feel The Power. The opening songs showcase a wide array of sound, ideas, tempos, and pretty much the full extent of the band’s rock prowess, so could such enthusiastic noise be maintained for more than a handful of songs? The answer is, simply enough, stretching. Where our first few tastes of BBABH are quick morsels of amplification, it’s the meat of Power that really cements the band’s staying power. From the indulgently speed metal tracks like “Holdin’ Back For Nothin’,” “Scream It Like You Mean It,” and “Skate Or Die,” to the ultra-ballad “I’ve Got You,” and all the way through the final (epic as all hell) minutes of “Sleepless Nights,” Blessed display rock prowess unlike anything else and leave you feeling better for having been able to listen.

Even though the world of synth-rock sound does grow stale from time to time, Blessed By A Broken Heart prove they have a lot to offer with Feel The Power. By not only managing to blur the lines between between modern and classic rock, but doing so without sacrificing the accessibility or catchiness of a single track, BBABH have set themselves apart in a time where many cannot. Seek them out, give Feel The Power a chance, and, even if it is something you end up purchasing, rest soundly knowing there are still great realms of sonic exploration to be heard.

Review written by: James Shotwell
Score: 8.5/10

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James Shotwell

James Shotwell is the founder of Under The Gun Review. He loves writing about music and movies almost as much as he loves his two fat cats. He's also the co-founder of Antique Records and the Marketing Coordinator for Haulix. You should probably follow him on Twitter.

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