Widow'...'Nightlife'...familiar artwork...'metallized' cover takes from VAN HALEN and KISS classics. You really got me, by now, guys! Added the fact this release comes out via the interesting Cruz Del Sur label, WIDOW and Nightlife seem capable of adding some spark in an 'average releases' summer of 2007. Let aside the status of all four members sing; theatrical enough, and teasing.
The band's name brings something doom-y in mind. The album's title - of course - lets the THIN LIZZY ghost float over your head, plus the cover artwork reminded me of UK/USA supergroup LION's Trouble In Angel City swan release back in 1989. OK, WIDOW's music - on the contrary - sees nothing in common with all the above, except for some of horror, maybe (relating to doom-ness), and the guitars relation to the THIN LIZZY inheritance. I had read some articles/reviews in regards to the quartet's first normal release, 2003's Midnight Strikes (Tribunal Records), plus the follow-up, 2005's On Fire (Cruz Del Sur/Spiritual Beast), labelling 'em as a 'Power Metal band'. Listening to these specific albums at a later time, not (totally) suitable this title may be for the North Carolina, US-based act.
What I heard - and what Nightlife also offers - has to do with 80s British Metal music, in the vein of 'old' IRON MAIDEN plus a good doze of (post-Ozzy) atmosphere, some of the ALICE COOPER/(early)MOTLEY CRUE legacy, a portion of MERCYFUL FATE/FORCE OF EVIL/SINERGY/CHILDREN OF BODOM and American Metal the way bands like HELLION or HALLOWEEN (cult!) used to perform. Yeap, the band adores the 'horror' mood; hence the variety in vocals (clean/dirty/gore). No, Death Metal fans will find limited - if any - interest in WIDOW since the music is quite 'retro' as pre-mentioned. But, but, but...the vocals approach - plus the theatrical arrangements in the album's compositions - show a tendency in presenting something spooky enough...what?...yes, spooky! that's the trademark for WIDOW's presentation here.
Most tunes roll like thunder - First Born, We Will Meet Again, Beware The Night, I'll Make You A Star and Nightlife - with tons of guitar solos/leads/duals (Randy Roads must be a real hero for these axemen), plus a Nicko McBrain-influenced drummer backing the guitar frenzy. In oppose, songs like Cult Of Life or Beauty Queen feature a different portrait, displaying a sense of narration (former) and neoclassical recitation (latter). The production is totally '80s', with just a slight glimpse of today's Euro Metal sound. I recalled the way TWISTED TOWER DIRE sound/attitude, if that helps. As for the 'multiple vocals' thing: female vocalist Lili is now off the WIDOW camp and is replaced (clean vocals) by guitarist John E. Wooten. Plus, the 'death' singing - rather 'limited'/'sophisticated' in regards to the band's previous albums - is not irritating at all, except if you're a total enemy of this 'throat' style.
Lyric-wise they always liked to play with werewolves and witches burnt at stakes, with the great tradition of 80s horror movies (Basket Case and such), movies that in a moment were vulgarly despised as B movies but which in the end, have influenced a whole generation of young Americans (source: Cruz Del Sur website). Alive and kickin' this description may be. I dig it. And I'm European. Shit...who says good Metal music is not released anymore? Losers...