The new LILLIAN AXE album is more moody than its predecessor; the production, the album/song titles, the general vibe builds up a sample of willful melancholy featuring some lurking craftsmanship that, once the band was not helped with this in terms of wide recognition, shall abandon - again? - any plans of general acceptance. Mistaken widely as another 'hair Metal' band back in the late 80s, LILLIAN AXE shall now mainly apply to their core fans plus any hardrocker searching for a 100% artistic music made in the USA.
A quite 'long' album Sad Day On Planet Earth is, really; fifteen tracks counting to 80 minutes of music...you'll feel bored at times, no question. Take also into consideration the following: Lefevre's voice is surely convincing, still trying to dress up the lyrics with a poetic attitude he (here and there) gets trapped in a post-Rock desolation that - personally speaking - sounds quite confusing in its amplitude spectrum. Thankfully, the guitars work is again splendid; if you do not feeling like sharing Steve Blaze's current(?) world-around dogmas there's, possibly, no easy way out supporting the inspiring guitarist's conviction, still the leads, riffs, fills and harmonies both he and Poitevent pour on the album's tunes can be judged as nothing less than fascinating.
LILLIAN AXE is back and the girl has an axe to grind, a Press release quotes. Hmmm...I have the impression that the girl has now buried the axe and speaks the truth through the music itself. Sad Day On Planet Earth summons elements from a variety of styles and patterns; low-tuned or post-Metal, depressed American Rock, mixed in a 'don't-take-this-for-granted' blender along with a - I'm sure! - great lyrics concept (unfortunately, no lyrics were attached in prior to the promo disc) and a fainting blessing for past times with a relevant pale face in the mirror of unknown future. Quite a puzzle, huh?
Yeap, LILLIAN AXE was always a weird outfit, even in their first two albums' straightforward heyday...The music is still flowing, not smoothly at all we should add, and if the average Hard/Heavy fan falls in love with the 'skip' button while listening to Sad Day On Planet Earth there's no mistake given herein. Life is simple, on the other hand; in a 67-33 amalgam of soulsearchin'/mild and vivid/anastatic songs, LILLIAN AXE supports music-making and emotions more than resulting acceptance; especially in their post-Psychoschizophrenia releases. During the recording sessions, Steve Blaze, Derrick LeFevre, Sam Poitevent, Eric Morris and Ken Koudelka pushed themselves to the proverbial limit, living in the studio, isolating themselves from family and friends, committing themselves to the physically demanding sessions that producer Steve Blaze put the band through. The summary, in other words...
Prepare yourself for a clairvoyant journey first time you listen to the new LILLIAN AXE album. Strictly for personal consumption...
P.S.: Catch your breath for 13 minutes, listening to Fire, Blood, The Earth And Sea...