SANTA CRUZ
“BAD BLOOD RISING”
Album Review By Iron Mathew

8/10

Santa Cruz are a hard rock band from Finland formed in 2007. The band released the ‘Anthem For The Young ‘N’ Restless’ E.P. in 2011, followed in 2013 by their first full length studio album ‘Screaming For Adrenaline’. Their self titled second album was released two years later in 2015, with the bands third album ‘Bad Blood Rising’ released in 2017.

The late eighties into the nineties saw the likes of Skid Row, Faster Pussycat and Ratt all pioneer the sleaze metal genre, and today, in the shape of Santa Cruz, that era is revisited, with extra energy and attitude. ‘Young Blood Rising’ opens the album and is a bombastic explosion of hard hitting and punchy riffs, Santa Cruz delivering a much heavier sound than their two previous albums. ‘River Phoenix’ has courted some controversy with its lyrical theme. Opening with an extract from the recorded telephone call to the police from The Viper Room, at first listen it suggests the song surrounds the death of actor River Phoenix, who died in 1993. After further listens, and also to ‘River Phoenix (Part 2)’, the final song on the album, I found that there is a much deeper meaning behind the song. River Phoenix starred in many films and even after his death, his legacy will live on through his films. Align that with the re-launch of Santa Cruz and their much heavier sound, long after Santa Cruz have disappeared from the music scene, their legacy will live on through their albums. Whichever stance you decide to take with ‘River Phoenix’, the song itself is full of energy and an addictive groove that will bring a smile a mile wide to your face. Intense and featuring a sing a long style chorus, ‘River Phoenix’ is a sparkling slice of infectious hard rock.

Increasing the intensity and heaviness, ‘Fire Running Through Our Veins’ is very heavy on the attitude and more punchy than a sparring match between two boxers. Santa Cruz hail from Finland, but have taken the whole essence of the American sleaze metal genre onboard and are delivering a very good album. ‘Drag Me Out Of The Darkness’ slows the bombastic pace, turning into a power ballad, with a more soulful vocal performance. Keyboards feature heavily as lighters in the air appear everywhere. Displaying a little blues influence, ‘Breathe’ keeps the mood mellow as it sidles along, conjuring images of a smokey saloon bar way out west… Stretching their musical boundaries, Santa Cruz have produced a varying album of various influences, yet in the formidable shape of ‘Voice Of The New Generation’, the bombastic nature of their rebirth is at full tilt. Heavy guitars and a mighty foot stomping rhythm will see ‘Voice Of The New Generation’ nod heads violently wherever it is played. ‘Back From The Dead’ is one helluva heavy foot stomp, in your face and full of attitude with a venomous vocal delivery. Aptly titled, ‘Back From The Dead’ reaffirms the re-emergence of Santa Cruz to the worldwide hard rock genre, the band rocking harder than ever before.

‘Bad Habits Die Hard’ is another huff and puff mid tempo foot stomp, yet across the chorus break there is a delightful injection of the melodic, almost bordering on the AOR genre. Has there ever been a more appropriately titled song? Of course there has, but ‘Pure Fucking Adrenaline’ is a feast of charging rhythms and ferocious vocals. ‘Pure Fucking Adrenaline’ is up tempo, full of energy and foot stompingly addictive. Acoustic and mellow, ‘Get Me Out Of California’ is a gentle swagger with another soulful vocal performance. Best get those lighters out again and sway from side to side as ‘Get Me Out Of California’ gently glides by. I am sure the controversy surrounding ‘River Phoenix’ will be around for some time to come, but with the album coming to a close ‘River Phoenix (Part 2)’ sweeps in, all fluffy and AOR orientated as it builds towards a crescendo, launching itself into the hard rock genre as it stumbles on to a conclusion. Santa Cruz have taken the sleaze metal genre by the scruff of its neck and have delivered, through gritted teeth, a powerful and attitude laden album.

Overall, hard hitting and punchy, Santa Cruz return with an album full of attitude and aggression, spitting venom with every song that passes by.

TRACKLIST

Young Blood Rising
River Phoenix
Fire Running Through Our Veins
Drag Me Out Of The Darkness
Breathe
Voice Of The New Generation
Back From The Dead
Bad Habits Die Hard
Pure Fucking Adrenaline
Get Me Out Of California
River Phoenix (Part 2)

http://santacruzbandofficial.com/
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