by Joe Mis
– Senior Columnist —
California-based Hailey Woodruff is aiming to do it all, and her debut release simply entitled LP shows that she comes pretty darn close. Hailey paints herself as a solo artist, and taking a page from the Phil Vincent playbook, she does everything on her album – vocals, guitars, bass, synths, drum programming – and does it well.
Hailey lists Pantera as her first and primary influence, but hints of Soilwork, Mudvayne, Nine Inch Nails and Tool are there as well, along with touches of jazz and classical. Hailey is a talented singer, a technically proficient musician, and a very good songwriter – a strong performer in every sense of the word. Her voice is crisp and clear, running the gamut from silky smooth to raw bellow – a cross between Amy Lee and Cristina Scabbia. Her guitars and bass are excellent as she lays down some interesting riffs in unusual time signatures, and delivers well as both a rhythm player and soloist. Her drum programming is decent – she doesn’t get carried away with it and keeps everything under control. Her songs are moody and intense at times, hard rocking at others, but always melodic, intelligent, and interesting.
Hailey Woodruff has all the makings of a truly superb performer. Well delivered music and powerful lyrics fill LP. She sings and plays from the heart. Her performances are solid through and through, but there is a bit of room for growth. The mix of the album is clean, although occasionally the vocals are buried under the instruments and could have used just a touch more volume. The only real question is whether she can produce future albums of this quality, or has she used up all of her passion with LP?
The hard rocking “Solace in a Nightmare” kicks the album into high gear. Hailey works the top end of her vocal range and rips out a number of very hot guitar licks while pulling off some intriguing progressive tempo changes. “Cognizance,” another very heavy track, lets Hailey demo her bass and drum programming chops while laying down a great vocal line and a blistering guitar break. “Only One” is more prog rock than prog metal, and the rumbling bass line is the driver here. Woodruff really mixes up the tempos here (but they seem a bit overdone and are somewhat jarring). The haunting ballad “Black & Red” is a layered vocal masterpiece, plain and simple, and the guitar is for the most part is a simple structure that seems to exist only to support the voice. “Confession” is the better of the prog rockers, giving Woodruff a chance to push her vocals to their limits while keeping the tempo changes at a less distracting level.
“Silenced” features a very interesting guitar line, complex and unique. Unfortunately is is a bit repetitious and seems to be building to a massive crescendo but never quite seems to get there. On the upside, Woodruff’s bass work on this track is spectacular and the guitar solo brings in the unique elements from the rhythm line tying everything up neatly. The energy really gets cranked up on “Delinquent” – a very intense progressive metal track with some great double bass drumming and an off-the-wall lead break. “Virus” is a wonderfully complex and fluid slow-to-mid-tempo rocker that varies tone and timings – perhaps the strongest and most mature track on the CD. “Floor of Deepest Walls,” a stunningly beautiful orchestral ballad closes the CD on a true high thanks to a very heartfelt vocal delivery and the soft cello work of guest musician Hope Easton.
No matter – Hailey Woodruff’s LP is a strong and solid release that demonstrates the breadth and depth of her musical abilities. She is undoubtedly a multi-talented musician with a bright future whether as a true solo performer or member of a larger band. A touch more seasoning will make Woodruff’s next release something to be eagerly anticipated. Hailey Woodruff is an artist to watch. LP is recommended for fans of progressive metal / rock or female vocalists. Check it out!
Genre: Progressive Metal
Band:
Hailey Woodruff – all vocals, guitars, bass, keys, drum programming
Guest musician – Hope Easton (cello on “Floor of Deepest Walls”)
Track Listing:
1. Solace in a Nightmare
2. Cognizance
3. Only One
4. Black & Red
5. Confession
6. Silenced
7. Delinquent
8. Virus
9. Floor of Deepest Walls
Label: Independent
Website: http://www.haileywoodruff.com
Hardrock Haven rating: 8/10
