DARK NEW DAY – Hail Mary

Label: Pavement Entertainment, Inc.

Release Date: February 19, 2013

Rating: 8.5/10

Reviewed by: ToddStar

Supergroups can be deceiving, especially when the members are from bands like Evanescence, Sevendust, and Eye Empire.  Instantly, I expect hard rock and crushing tracks.  That is sort of what we get here.  This “lost” album, which was to be their sophomore release, is now being released.  After listening to their last release, I wasn’t over excited, as that one just didn’t set me on fire.  This one is a bit different.  “Goodbye” is exactly what you would expect from the musicians involved   This track has a killer bass line, great riff, and vocals that could grace any track on Sirius XM’s Octane.  “Anywhere” follows and though the music is similar, it is slightly different; it seems a bit mellow compared to the last track.  “Vicious Thinking” has a great back-line from the bass and drums.  The guitars seem to dance over top the track and fit well.  This is another track that seems more mainstream.  Trust me, that’s a good thing.  “Simple” has an almost ethereal feel to it.  The vocals are emotive and play well over top of the music.  The guitar gets crunchy in spots, but it adds to the track.  Title track “Hail Mary” is up and kicks off in a different direction than expected.  The use of effects enhances the track before the vocals dig in and the guitar turns up.  This is another great song from this collaboration.  “On My Way” is another mellow track that adds depth to the disc and the musicians involved.  This is one of my favorites on the disc.

“Saddest Song” brings the energy back, both in the music itself, but the vocals seem to be dialed up a notch on this track.  The guitar work is among the best on the disc.  I love the range in teh vocals as well.  “Dear Addy” is next and has a very cool acoustic vibe to it.  The guitars and vocals blend well on this track.  It’s funny – it is another of my favorites, but it is probably the least hard rock of the bunch.  “Someday” follows the trend of the last track.  These seem more restrained and mainstream than the rest of the tracks, but it adds another dimension to what these guys have done individually and collectively.  “Fiend” is more along the lines of what is expected from this band.  It is a good rock track that leans on the guitars and drumming.  “Outside” keeps the energy up and the disc on track.  “Give Me The World” closes the disc with the restrained mainstream feel of earlier tracks.  This is much better than the last release.

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Category: CD Reviews