Crazy Lixx – Riot Avenue (Album Review)

Crazy Lixx – Riot Avenue
(2012, Frontiers Records)

1. Whiskey Tango Foxtrot … 3:42
2. Young Blood … 3:47
3. Riot Avenue … 3:58
4. Fire It Up … 3:49
5. Downtown … 5:18
6. In The Night … 4:27
7. Church Of Rock … 4:04
8. Heatseeker … 3:01
9. Sweet, Bad & Beautiful … 3:47
10. Be Gone … 3:38
11. Only The Dead Know … 6:19

Band:
Danny Rexon – Vocals
Andy Dawson – Guitar
Edd Liam – Guitar
Loke Rivano – Bass
Joel Cirera – Drums

Sweden’s Crazy Lixx have returned with their third album Riot Avenue. I’ve never heard their Loud Minority debut but I think it’s safe to say this band is getting better with each release. 2010′s New Religion was a good album that’s worth listening to but ultimately it did not have a lasting impact on me. Riot Avenue is a different story. As good as New Religion was, the songs on Riot Avenue are much stronger as the band continues to draw influences from the likes of Def Leppard, KISS, Buckcherry, AC/DC and Motley Crue.

I feel like the band is taking baby steps to not be as cheesy as a lot of the ’80s influenced bands are. Yes, these guys obviously are inspired by that decade of excess and will appeal to fans of that same era but I detect a slight gritty edge this time around as the band becomes less Def Leppard and more Buckcherry. It’s not a major change of direction from New Religion but I think it’s worth noting and they’ve certainly gotten a bit heavier as they’ve added a second guitarist. The AC/DC influence seems somewhat new but it’s apparent on “Downtown”.

“Whiskey Tango Foxtrot” (WTF?) is the perfect opener. Fun, ballsy rocker that kicks things off right. I’m having trouble deciding whether that or “Church Of Rock” is my favorite track. Nipping at the heels of those two songs are the album’s closing track — the ballad “Only The Dead Know”. The rest is high energy rock ‘n’ roll that is sure to please all hard rockers that have a taste for glam, sleaze and pop metal.

It seems standard from Frontier Records these days but the production is great. I love all the backing vocals going on here and Danny Rexon does a great on lead vocals.

While New Religion proved to me that Crazy Lixx are a good band, it’s Riot Avenue that is beginning to cement the band’s reputation as one of the best melodic hard rock groups on the scene today. Riot Avenue is one of the year’s highlights so far for sure.

Highlights: ”Whiskey Tango Foxtrot”, “Riot Avenue”, “Church Of Rock”, “Heatseeker”, “Sweet, Bad & Beautiful”, “Only The Dead Know”

http://www.crazylixx.com
http://www.facebook.com/crazylixx
http://www.frontiers.it

Buy the album at Amazon.com