Review: Halestorm- Vicious

It’s an exciting thing when an album lives up to its title and that’s exactly what you have with Halestorm’s fourth record- Vicious, which comes on the heels of Into The Wild Life. Vicious’ predecessor was somewhat of a departure in sound for the band and the fanbase was split on its opinion of the album- the record had a lot of strong songs, though and this time around the band is back on the heavy path and doesn’t let up until the very end. “Black Vultures” kicks things off and was also the opener on Halestorm’s Spring tour. It gets the record going quick with Lzzy Hale’s gritty, raspy vocals and it’s clear this is going to be a heavy hitter of a studio offering. “Skulls” keeps it going before “Uncomfortable” channels the style of “Mz Hyde” with a thrashy metal onslaught. While “Buzz” is a catchy rock anthem that should find its way into stadiums everywhere, “Do Not Disturb” is a creeping, sexy rock track that you can\’t help but fall in love with but VERY different from the rest of the album.” “Conflicted” shows some of the most beautiful vocals from Lzzy and a guitar line that reminds me of Natalie Imbruglia’s cover of “Torn,” with a 90\’s style rock track that\’s unforgettable; The chorus is one that you can relate to quickly and it\’s going to ge a quick fan favorite. “Heart of Novocaine” channels ballads like “Familiar Taste of Poison” with a slow, haunting ballad- it’s a personal, deep, emotional track that will hit home with the Halestorm faithful- longtime and new; If you\’ve ever had a person leave you out of the middle of nowhere and blindside you, this is your anthem. \”Thank you for the stain you left on my brain because of you i\’ll make it through, nothing can hurt me…\” is one of the most powerful lines Halestorm have ever written and the song will bring you near tears. This will be one of the band\’s biggest songs. “Painkiller” cranks it back up- it’s quick and heavy, almost like a sequel to “Heart of Novocaine.” “White Dress” proves yet again that Lzzy is a badass. This song is attitude and rock and roll through and through. “Vicious”- the title track- is a catchy, addicting, rock track that you\’ll just fall in love with from the beginning and it’s one of the catchiest songs the band has ever written, which leads into “The Silence.” This ends the record on a slow, personal level with Lzzy serenading you with some of her most iconic vocals yet, which says a lot. In the end, the team of Lzzy and Arejay Hale, Joe Hottinger and Josh Smith have raised the bar yet again. Lyrically and musically, this is Halestorm’s strongest collection of music they’ve put together. It’s a return to form and they’ve taken any expectations and completely shattered them on the floor. Rating: 10/10 -Reggie Edwards