With expired genres constantly being out-dated, is Hard Rock ever going to be in again? With ONE I CINEMA'S self-titled album, the answer is yes, the four-piece from Germany, have reclaimed this underappreciated genre with eleven slaying tracks. The band infuse the melodic elements of ALTER BRIDGE with intricate guitar riffs and a blend of rocky grooves.

"Broken Hearts" sets in with a fast pace guitar intro that is soon matched by Marco Meyer's high-toned vocals. Sounding a bit like BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE when they were good and Matt Tuck still had long hair, it's clear the band have a set of out-dated influences that mould their songs. Lyrically the track is repeated and boring as it seems to go on for a while with the repeated chorus.

However the band do throw a few odd balls around with "Melissa" being a quiet acoustic track. It is almost sung in whispers as Meyer's light vocals lightly touch your ears. Before the song is even over, "Melissa, Pt. 11" kicks in, complexly juxtaposing with the first's tune. It kicks in right away, giving you no time to mope around with a heavy guitar intro. This contrast is cleverly constructed as it works well within the record as a follow up track. It shows how ONE I CINEMA can produce a same song in two very different ways.

Following different patterns "The Mirror" and "Stay" bring new sounds to the record. "Stay" takes you back to them good old Country Rock days. Not exactly expected within this record, it works. Once again Meyer's vocals are tested to produce a different sound that still screams Hard Rock. "The Mirror" is a deeper track that exposes vulnerability as its themes cut deeper. It's apparent within the first few strums of the guitar that this song is a sad one.

Sure the record is not going to be up to date with the current times, but what ONE I CINEMA does is revamp treasured styles. Still producing monstrous riffs and additive songs, the self-titled does its self-justice.