Some are going to call this the band’s best album because it’s so different to what came before. But those that have a strong affinity with the first two albums could really struggle with the direction of this one.
I’ve sat on this review for a while knowing that some time was needed for the updated direction to sink in. I’m glad I did, as I’ve found that while I really like every song on the album, I’m not coming back to it quite as often as I did with Strange Case Of.
There’s some truly groundbreaking moments on here, some inspired songwriting (full credit for all songs being written by the band) and a monster sound as per usual, but at the same time, maybe a bit of warmth from the first two albums isn’t as present here.
But, when the mood fits, there really isn’t anything else like this on the market and no one has the balls or the passion of Halestorm.
And Lzzy Hale is a genuine, bonafide, all-American rock n roll star. Her vocals on this album are simply incredible.
So the sound of this album varies almost from track to track as the guys (and gal) try and cram everything they’ve come up with in. That shows terrific talent and diversity in the songwriting and production departments (production by Jay Joyce of In Pursuit & Bedlam fame, recorded in Nashville).
There’s the high-tech modern rock of Scream and Sick Individual (with its big groovy chorus); and the balls to the wall rocker Mayhem, which I adore. Three great songs right here.
More traditional Halestorm can be found on the aggressive I Am The Fire; the rousing Amen; mood driven The Reckoning and Apocalyptic.
The guys take a shot at FM radio with some Pink inspired commercial tracks such as the beautifully sung ballad Dear Daughter and What Sober Couldn’t Say that features a stunning vocal and smooth chorus.
Then there’s the country influence of Nashville seeping through on several tracks which if de-rocked, could easily be covered by Nashville’s finest females - New Modern Love; the amazing ballad Bad Girl’s World; the metal-country Gonna Get Mine and the biker-rally ready I Like It Heavy.
What I also like it the transitions between tracks and the occasional ad-lib or segue way into the next track – it shows that a lot of time and thought has gone into sequencing and how the album should flow. The art of “album making” is not all lost!
As is the case with many releases, there’s two bonus tracks – the simple riff-n-groove-hard rocker Jump The Gun and the catchy commercial modern rocker Unapologetic (touching on the Pink influence again).
This is a monster record and I applaud all involved for their commitment to the art of making a full album and executing it well. The sound and style is a little more diverse and modern than the band’s first two releases, so I expect there to be some debate over this album’s merits.
While I think Strange Case Of was a more focused and direct record, there is no doubting that Into The Wild Life is a very accomplished piece of work with a ton of great new songs.
