NEW RELEASE: Back From the Dead - Halestorm

 Lzzy Hale and crew are back with another release. I have enjoyed some of their selections off and on, particularly their last release Vicious. Described as their most personal work yet, leading single "My Steeple" honestly did not grab me at all. I am hoping for a better full product. Sometimes "most personal" ends up sounding like watered down hollowness of something that could have been. 

The album begins with a roaring "I'm back from the dead". The song isn't bad as an introduction at all. 

"Wicked Ways" I think wanted to be a more meaningful track than it is. The lyrics are a cliche and a poorly done one at that. The song ends up just coming off a bit try hard.

Not everyone can pull a "Sex Metal Barbie" in the way of In This Moment...someone needs to tell Lzzy Hale this doesn't work for Halestorm. "Strange Girl" sounds out of place for her. It sounds like something maybe the label pressed them to try and they really weren't sure where to go with it melodically...

I am on "Brightside" beginning to feel disappointed that I am not hearing a brightside to this. Thus far it is proving to be what I feared it would from the hollowness of the lead single.

And My Steeple comes directly after this...I think everyone gets the idea I was not too impressed with this track.

So now we get "Terrible Things", which is like a slow ballad version of "Wicked Ways" with the same amount of lyrical cliches as the original. 

"Redemption" has a little more lyricism to it but still falters with a lot of cliche writing. Nothing about this album thus far has been memorable. 

"Bombshell" is the first song that sounds like it has some passion to it. It isn't bad but I am not interested in it melodically totally.

"I Come First" has an old Halestorm vibe which is good. The hook is very weak though. Poor lyricism is a huge downfall of this album.

"Psycho Crazy" sounds like a good B-side to Vicious, so maybe that is why I like it more.

The album closes with "Raise Your Horns", a ballad that just comes off kind of cheesy....

Lyrics: 3/10 - This album is sinking from having absolutely no strong lyrical base. It...sounds exactly like a hollow watered down body of work. People need to stop calling things their "most personal yet", they make my expectations of emotional output way too strong.

Music: 5/10 - If you like the sound of Halestorm, you probably won't mind this album.

Overall: 3/10 - This is so terribly weak and forgettable. Major disappointment for a comeback after Vicious was SO solid.