This is the second full length album from the Melbourne-based Heavy Metal outfit. They have relocated since to the good old USA in hopes of making a name for themselves and I am pretty sure they will be able to break through some of the barriers as we speak. They are a refreshing band with a lot of energy and I sincerely hope they get the attention that they deserve eventually. For people asking, Bellurisa is a combination of two Latin words and it means Beautiful Anger. It's a nice touch, don't you think?!? A lot of the songs talk about hardship and some talk about standing up for yourself and not backing down after all the trials and tribulations of what life gives us. I thought it was a powerful message per say. First of all let's talk about the album cover, well it does not really fit with the band and it shows a selfie of the singer Crystal Ignite in all her glory so I thought it was a pretty odd choice for an album cover. They might be hoping that a good looking woman on an album cover can be a positive thing but it may deter some people of picking up this album.

Anyways, let's talk about the music first and foremost. This Australian band do remind me of a lot of good bands from the early 2000's in the Nu-Metal genre, but also remind me of a lot of the goodness from bands like LACUNA COIL and MONSTER MAGNET. They would have fit really well in that music period and who have stood out in many ways from a lot of crappy bands in that genre! I am not saying the music is outdated, I feel it's a fresh take and a good change of pace from what is going on right now in Metal. The first song on the album is "Fight" and makes me think about the early LACUNA COIL albums but without Andrea Ferro singing! Which is great because I never thought he had a good voice and I always wanted Cristina Scabbia to sing alone of the albums but there was always his presence nonetheless. The second song might be the oddest of the bunch and is called "Dance With Me". It actually sounds a lot like "Careless Whisper" by WHAM, it's frightening how much it sounds alike, and even the beats in the song remind me of the pop ballad classics from the 80's. I really enjoyed the song but it what quite weird the first time I listened to it.

There are a few mid-tempo ballads on this album like "Tonight", "Pieces", and "Sister", songs that begin really slowly with Crystal Ignite singing softly and then the song gets heavier but not too much. She has an awesome voice and you can tell the emotion and she just pours her heart out in each word and you can tell it from the start. These are heart wrenching and she talks about losing a loved one to disease and how it affected her afterwards. The lyrics of the songs are the key in the three songs and are some of the most beautiful I have read about in the last few months.

Four songs ("Sever", "Black Seed", "Redemption Queen", and "How Far") sound a lot like the second to last HALESTORM album (which I listened to few days ago because of a live performance I caught on TV and wanted to give it another try). I don't really like HALESTORM to be honest other than an awesome DIO cover in 2014. I was never a fan but I can understand their appeal with their raw energy, and presence especially the live stuff. Crystal Ignite's voice and presence (I was able to see to live clips and their video clip for "Black Seed") do remind me a lot of Lizzy Hale and what she has brought to the Metal world in these last few years.

The last song on the album is "The Healing". This is the pure ballad of the album. It shows all the grace and range of Crystal Ignite's voice and she sounds just great on this one. This is a powerful ballad and she talks about Healing herself from the thing she endured and all the hardships she has faced throughout her short life. She repeats the lyrics "You Are Stronger Than You Know" throughout the song, like she is talking to herself and to the listener. Like saying you are not alone and what doesn't kill you makes you stronger and I felt it was a great way to finish this album

If you guys and gals like HALESTORM and some early LACUNA COIL, this album is a real treasure!
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