Debbie Ray Artificial Misery

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by Joe Mis
Staff Writer

If the Glam Metal genre ever stages a full-scale revival, expect Debbie Ray to be at the fore. Their debut release Artificial Misery is crude, loud, obnoxious and a little bit sleazy, but under control enough that none of it is truly offensive or in poor taste – in other words it is everything a glam metal album should be.

Although technically a new band, the members of Debbie Ray have been kicking around the music scene in Sweden for a number of years, settling into the current configuration in 2005. Heavily influenced by the great glam and hard rock acts of the late 1980s and early 1990s, Debbie Ray simply pumps out adrenaline-laced, unabashed and unashamed hard rock with a great sense of fun and more enthusiasm than anyone could expect from a debut album. With elements pulled from almost every conceivable style of hard’n’heavy rock, these guys put out music that should appeal in one way or another to fans of any rock genre.

The band’s lineup is top-notch and dripping talent from everywhere. Reine has a great voice for hard rock – rough and raspy, and a decent range. Refreshingly, he sings with little trace of an accent (unlike so many of his compatriots from Sweden) so all of the lyrics are easily understandable and well phrased. He also plays a mean guitar. Fellow guitarist Andy makes a great teammate, and the two of them can flat out play. The rhythm lines are catchy and slick, and most of their solos are about as balls-to-the-wall as you can get. Manx (bass) and H-Can (drums) provide a fine bottom end to things – great gurgling bass lines and big booming drums. The members of Debby Ray play together like a true veteran band without anyone being a glory hog. The band is very tight but not precise or mechanical – perfect for the rougher glam style that they embrace.

“Addicted” kicks you hard in the face from the first note – it is a pure rock-and-roll anthem and sets the level for the entire album. Great vocals, fun lyrics, hooky rhythm lines and an amazingly aggressive guitar solo. “Dirty Darling” and “Nightmare In The Makin’” keep the power going, and lyrically follow the standard glam themes of putting down society and modern life. “Artificial Misery” drops the speed but not the power and critiques the hell we make of our own lives. This track features some of the best vocals and drum work on the album, and an amazing GNR/Slash-style solo with heavy riffs in the background. Great riffs and pointed lyrics make “Primetime Primadonna” a great commentary on the “celebrity” culture – gotta love the line “The quickest way to fame is 15 minutes of shame.” They drop into almost Harem Scarem / Ratt-mode with the killer straight up rocker “Stars Ain’t Much Of A Light”.

“Someone To Blame” is a great bluesy track in the GNR/L.A.Guns tradition, and would do quite well on any rock radio station, while thick and juicy guitars make “Down With The Flow” a slower bluesy rocker – probably as close to a ballad as these guys can get. “Bullshit Firezone” seems to be the band’s take on modern media – great drums and bass punctuate this track. “Kill Your Darlings” brings back all the energy and aggression, laying down some great heavy riffs and hooks, and “Stand ‘N’ Fight” manages to mix glam rock vocals with almost ultra-precise Euro-metal riffs. The final track, “Road Dog Souls” has hit single written all over it, and would be a fantastic arena track.

The engineering and production are perfect for the style. A bit rough and raspy but crisp and clear overall, Debby Ray’s sound and energy come through without a doubt. It is difficult to find fault or flaw anywhere in this recording. ‘Nuff said…

All in all, Artificial Misery is one of the strongest debut albums in recent memory. Debby Ray delivers great rock with talent, enthusiasm and tons of swagger and attitude. Fans of any sub-genre of hard rock will find something that appeals here. If you like glam, you’ll like this. If you like guitars, you’ll like this. If you like blues based hard rock, you’ll like this, etc. etc. etc. Very highly recommended!

Genre: Glam Metal

Band:
Reine (vocals, guitars)
H-Can (drums)
Manx (bass)
Andy (guitars)

Track Listing:
1. Addicted
2. Dirty Darling
3. Nightmare In The Makin’
4. Artificial Misery
5. Primitive Primadonna
6. Stars Ain’t Much Of A Light
7. Someone To Blame
8. Down With The Flow
9. Bullshit Firezone
10. Kill Your Darlings
11. Stand ‘N’ Fight
12. Road Dog Souls

Label: Demon Doll Records

Website: http://www.myspace.com/debbieray1

Hardrock Haven rating: 9/10