by Joe Mis
– Senior Columnist —
Native New Yorker Madame Mayhem brought all her NYC attitude and swagger into the studio when she laid down the vocal tracks for her latest album, Now You Know. A veritable melting pot of genres and styles (just like NYC), Now You Know leaves nothing on the table and will appeal to just about everyone.
Now You Know is a 14 track release and spans genres from ballad to Hard Rock to Alternative to Dance and Pop, but no matter the style all the tunes share Hard Rock roots and a strong sense of melody. Mayhem’s range is not extreme, but she delivers crisp, clear, and passionate vocals across all the tracks whether at the top or bottom end. She gets gritty when she needs to, and softens when appropriate – delivering the mature performance one would expect from an industry veteran rather than a relative newcomer. Madame Mayhem brings in strong musical support from a number of well-know performers: bassist/guitarist Billy Sheehan (Talas, Mr. Big, Winery Dogs); bassist Corey Lowery (Saint Asonia, Stuck Mojo); drummer Ray Luzier (KoRn, KXM); and guitarists Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal (Guns N’ Roses), Russ Parrish (War & Peace, Fight, Steel Panther), and Simone Sello (Billy Sheehan, Warren Cuccurullo, Chicanery, Vasco Rossi). Mayhem co-wrote all original material with either Sheehan (who also produced the record) or Lowery.
Big, brassy guitars and a heavy, booming bass kick off the modern rocker “Monster,” giving Mayhem a chance to push her vocals out across her full range. Nicely balanced between voice and instruments, the opener showcases the talents of all band members. Billy Sheehan’s bass is prominent on the Gothic tinged “Perfect Nightmare,” and Mayhem keeps to the higher end of her range. The rich imagery on this track proves that Mayhem is not just a strong singer – she also has solid songwriting skills and knows how to paint vivid pictures with her lyrics. “Something Better (Now You Know)” brings some thrashy guitars, driving bass, and a bit of New York swagger, coming across something like Joan Jett meets Paramore. “Left For Dead,” a softer modern rock ballad, is arguably Mayhem’s best vocal performance. It blends her superb voice with a simple but effective rhythm line. “Witchcraft” is a dark and murky rocker driven by the bass, drums and heavily distorted rhythm guitar.
The up-tempo “More Than Misery” has a very 80s vibe thanks to the distorted guitars and Sheehan’s big bass. “Better Days” is a total change of pace, almost a modern country rock ballad – and Madame Mayhem proves herself to be a true singer on this track. “After 2 AM” is a modern rocker in the Paramore vein, while “Nothing To Lose” is a nicely done radio-ready mid-tempo pop-rock tune that keeps Mayhem at the top end of her vocal range. “Under The Microscope” adds touches of Symphonic, Progressive Metal, and while well done neither Mayhem nor the band seem 100% comfortable on this one – but the guitar breaks are quite probably the most memorable on the album.
“Sacrifice” is a real old school Hard Rocker with a great beat and strong hooks. It has a bit of a Vixen feel to it, and it quite effective. “Pain” dials everything back a bit and it a very good acoustic ballad. “Can’t Stand” is another guitar & drum driven Paramore-esque modern rocker with a strong lead break and upbeat rhythm line. The album closes out with the very Pop “Anyone Who Had A Heart” – a neat vocal piece that brings in vocal stylings ranging from pop to rock to R & B, a tune that would be effective whether recorded by Lady Gaga, the Spice Girls, or Diana Ross.
Overall Madame Mayhem’s Now You Know is a very good release. There is no doubt that Madame Mayhem has a strong voice – couple that with equally strong songwriting chops and she has a bright future in the business! She has built a talented group of musicians, and seems to be getting the support she needs from a number of veteran performers, so Madame Mayhem is definitely an act to follow. The engineering on the release is strong, but seems inconsistent from track to track as if the album was recorded at different times with different setups. While not truly a negative it is noticeable and some may find it a bit of a distraction.
Madame Mayhem is definitely worth keeping an eye on. The breadth of her vocal abilities give her the choice of direction and style, as she seems to be able to sing it all – and sing it all well. A talented songwriter and dynamic performer, Mahyem has a very bright future ahead – especially if she continues to have the backing of some of rock’s truly veteran musicians. Hopefully this album is the start of something big!
Madame Mayhem’s Now You Know is highly recommended for fans of hard rock and melodic metal!
Genre: Melodic Rock, Metal
Band:
Madame Mayhem (vocals)
Billy Sheehan (bass, rhythm guitars)
Ray Luzier (drums)
Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal (lead guitar)
Russ Parrish (lead guitar)
Corey Lowery (bass)
Simone Sello (rhythm guitars)
Track Listing:
1. Monster
2. Perfect Nightmare
3. Something Better (Now You Know)
4. Left For Dead
5. Witchcraft
6. More Than Misery
7. Better Days
8. … After 2 AM
9. Nothing To Lose
10. Under The Microscope
11. Sacrifice
12. Pain
13. Can’t Stand
14. Anyone Who Had A Heart
Label: !K7 RECORDS
Website: http://www.madamemayhem.com/
Hardrock Haven rating: 8/10
