LOVE.MIGHT.KILL – Brace For Impact
- Posted on 10-07-2011
Veterans in the metal business get used to moving swiftly as bands run their course or musicians part ways for a host of personal or professional reasons. It may have shocked some in late 2010 when Metalium announced their retirement after 13 years and nine CD’s, and yet Henning Besse and Michael Ehre have plunged forward – the former with Sons Of Seasons, and the latter with this new melodic power metal outfit Love.Might.Kill. Gaining an Italian singer in Jan Manenti, the five piece pull together with one ear on strong, blues based hard rock as their foundation and another steeped in the power metal beliefs of their past.
“Calm Before The Storm” rolls along like the great Whitesnake meeting Metalium – the Christian Stover/Stefan Ellerhorst axe duo intertwining the best in riff/solo play from John Sykes to Timo Tolkki while the chorus is straight out of positive, happy Nocturnal Rites melody school. “Caught In A Dream” is one of those mid-tempo anthems with a “We Will Rock You” styled spirit in the rhythms and chorus – a sure fire audience winner that I think will be in Love.Might.Kill’s set for a while. Jan’s voice reminds me of classic Joey Tempest with the AOR-power sheen of many domestic Italian singers. Another band that comes to mind is Pretty Maids when you hear a lot of the riffing, accent on hooks and overall songwriting sensibilities – all the parts are sharp and there’s not a lot of needless, superficial excess on “Brace For Impact”.
My favorites currently include the up tempo Saxon-like charge of “Down To Nowhere” and Michael Ehre’s subtle hand and feet juggling skills through the epic closer “Will Love Remain”. Those of you who love bands like Firewind, Pretty Maids, Letter X and live for large hooks from the guitar or vocal departments, Love.Might.Kill should be your 2011 find.