BAD AS can be! The rockers out of Montebelluna, Italy bring a punch of energetic, anthemic rock out in their third album, "Crucified Society." Pulpy, pastel purples and blues smeared with a neon tinge dominate the cyber-futuristic city on the album cover of "Crucified Society." And yet, the most striking feature of this image is the cyborg man hung up on a giant crucifix, with the nearby people watching and recording with their futuristic phones. BAD AS brings the energy and the emotion as they set the stage for a revealing dive into the dangers of technology in modern society.

The title track, "Crucified Society," is their first song out of the gate and it is an absolute banger. Double bass and riffing guitar take no time to speed into action. BAD AS they want to be apparently! High energy and heavy metal fuel this song, leading to one of the catchiest choruses on the album. When singer Mattia Martin comes in, their sound is immediately solidified as true heavy metal. His vocal range works perfectly for the band, as it reminds you of all the great singers of the 70s and 80s. His low range is deep and gruff, and his falsetto is pure and clean. Very reminiscent of Ronny James Dio.

The next track, "Endless Race," keeps the tempo high and lets Martin show off his range with a killer scream. The band sticks with a pounding, driving melody, letting the guitar riff and improv during fills. "Lex" Tricario shows his talent behind the guitar with an impressive solo during the track. Overall, another really well written song from BAD AS.

After starting "Crucified Society" with two fast, powerful tracks, BAD AS slows down for pretty much the rest of the album. The remaining songs are all slower in tempo and fall into a more straightforward pattern. Bass drum heavy marches that sound rough and gruff and lead to a typically bright chorus.

"Free Falling" is a bit groovier, letting bass player Alberto Rigoni loose to thump out some funkier melodies. "Mind Kind" has a strong DISTURBED vibe. As in, the rhythm in the opening verse is nearly identical to the DISTURBED song "Inside the Fire." All that aside, it's not a bad track. BAD AS excels at conveying rage and anger through their music with Martin taking the lead as he broods though their lyrics. "Truth" is the last song on the album for me that really hits. It ends up being one of their more progressive tracks, with a lot of distinct musical ideas that are given time to develop. BAD AS lock in some earworms melodies throughout the song that are amazing.

Fans of DIO, WHITESNAKE, ALTER BRIDGE, and other rock bands that sometimes blur the line with metal will enjoy "Crucified Society" by BAD AS. My main observation was that after a blistering, quick start, BAD AS took their foot off the gas and kept it off for the rest of the album. I think throwing in one or two more speedy tracks would've definitely elevated the whole album. But hey, the tracks are all well written, well executed, and pretty catchy.

Favorite Songs: "Crucified Society", "Final Night"