Five Aussies thought that it is time for a band to escape the AC/DC/AIRBOURNE field. "Hell Yeah! Let's make a band full of melodic tunes" they thought, and so they released their first EP "Mission To Rock" back in 2008. That 4-track EP, including "Murder 101", dunno if it approached many mags but the ones that became aware of it received it well.

As mentioned, this band hails from Australia and hmm...their first album is called "Never Say Die". Still haven't heard the tracks, but till now, one thing's sure...This title has a bad karma with covers. But slightly I might say that this one is better than the one BLACK SABBATH had for their "Never Say Die" LP.

Now, that I have heard the album: yes, these guys maybe look that they are into Glam and all that stuff, if only they knew what exactly they play. The first tracks are slightly confusing, they have the classic Heavy Metal guitar riffs, so classic that I do not want to name that band again, fused with modern sounds - sorry, but "I Don't Need Saving" is a fusion of heaviness with HOLE and G'n'R. "Eruption" alludes to N.O.W.B.H.M and "Rock City" has the aura of "Shout At The Devil" in the beginning and then guitar leads borrowed from the classic Heavy Metal field, again. Like wise "On The Run" follows. After the ballad "Between A Rock And A Hard Place" things are changing for the better. Not only the guitar sounds are moderated and more fitting to the style the band wants to play, but also the influence of G'n'R steps forward. "Murder 101" (comprising of KISS elements - it is also the first video clip of the album) together with "1-800-Pleasuretown" are the two best samples this album has to offer.

The production is drained from enormous sound and the guitar lines, as they are presented, are definitely not the ones defined for the genre. The vocals did not blow me away and most of the time, are a notch below my personal expectations of an adequate delivering.

P.S.: The amount of ooo-ooohs and wooowwww-ooohs does not put a track immediately in the AOR/Glam hits.
P.SS.: Honestly, by hearing this album STEEL PANTHER will definitely NOT be in the first five bands you will think of. Just to make some things clear.