SYTERIA is a four-piece British Heavy Metal band, featuring guitarist Jax Chambers of the later years of the legendary GIRLSCHOOL. She, along with bassist Steph Dawson, vocalist Julia Vocal (Calvo), and drummer Pablo Calvo, have formed a very tight (albeit a bit Pop-ish, at times, for my tastes) unit, and produced a very good record. The talent level they bring to the table is undeniable.

Opening things up with the rocker "Make Some Noise," we get a good start into this twelve-cut record. The guitar work from Chambers is quite exceptional, and the vocals soar. Julia Calvo has got a great range to work with, and it truly shows on this cut. They follow this song up with the eco-minded "Goodbye World," and while the sentiment is appreciated deeply, the songwriting in the chorus is a bit sappy and heavy-handed. Not a bad track musically, at all, however; with the same strong guitar work and rhythm section prowess as the opener.

Moving deeper into the record, we get to the song "Sorry," which presents a nice blend of ballad and all-out rocker. There is some fantastic acoustic work in the intro and intertwined throughout the remainder of the song, showing that Jax isn't just flash and fire. She really displays a very delicate touch on parts of this tune.

"Moving Forward (Angels and Demons)" is another outstanding bit of vocal work from Julia Calvo, and is a good rocker from start to finish. There are moments on the record, however, that do have more of a Pop sensibility to them. Those moments are where I found myself looking away and losing a bit of interest, primarily on the songs "Gossips" and "As If."

All being said, this is in general a strong release by some incredibly talented musicians. I would like to hear them turn up the heat a little for the next album, maybe not concentrating as much on the radio friendly fare and just letting it go. Until then, I'll keep an ear on this, and an eye out for any upcoming U.S. tour dates.