Look at the Mad Max inspired album cover and you could be forgiven for thinking that this album is a 1980s release, especially when you turn to the track listing and wonder if Tina Turner will make an appearance on 'Thunderdome'. These were the thoughts going through my head as I first played the album, but 'Deathwish' quickly eradicated them.



Yes, there is an 80s hair metal feel to some of it, but there's much more. It combines the rawness of Crashdiet, the melodies of Reckless Love and the occasional throwbacks to their metalcore past, which makes for a combination that's new for me, but I like it.

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The band first formed in Montreal, Canada back in 2003 and 'Feel The Power' is their third release. The band have toured with the likes of Enter Shikari, Bring Me The Horizon and Architects and played festivals alongside Megadeth, Judas Priest and Steel Panther.

They still don't appear to have found stability as an outfit, having undergone a fair few personnel changes, and they are going through record labels at a rate of one per album.

There are a couple of tracks that I will definitely skip, for example 'I've Got You' and 'Scream It Like You Mean It' sound like they have been written for an X Factor finalist's single. Who knows, maybe they're hoping one will be picked up by Cowell and Co, just like Biffy Clyro's 'Many Of Horrors'.

All that aside, 'Shut Up And Rock' is certainly the kind of track I would be quite content watching on a sunny afternoon at a festival and 'Holdin' Back For Nothing' has a catchy chorus and some great guitaring.

It's a shame that there are the weaker tracks, but if you're happy to just not add them to your playlist, then this isn't a bad album at all and will be released January 24th on Tooth & Nail/Rude Records. If you want to find out more about Blessed By A Broken Heart head over to http://blessed.mu/

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