At first listen I think this band seems like a two part gimmick.
At second listen I'm pretty sure it's a gimmick, and by the third listen I'm
dead sure that this is a full on gimmick. There's only one problem though -
it's a gimmick that has failed...at least to penetrate mainstream radio. Whether
or not the latter intention was the band's from the start is unclear. The first
part is the music which is a total collision between crushing metal riffs and...how
can I put this?..."girly girly pop". An unholy fusion you say? Well, perhaps
one that would alienate serious metal fans and scare away shallow pop fans looking
for something lighter. Imagine Kylie Minogue fronting nu-metal band Disturbed
instead of that wanker with...what is it? that fucked up chain or door-knocker
on his chin and you've got some idea of SP's sound. Either that or imagine Garbage
with more metal riffs and less of an electronic bent.
Part two of the gimmick is lead singer Nicole Hughes, who is a tall, skinny,
crimson-haired, RAWK BOMBSHELL! If the band were bigger, you'd probably see
her face everywhere and she'd be the number one sex symbol of the moment. On
the album, her voice often alternates between sweet girl and seductress in the
same song. It's no surprise mostly horny males show at SP's shows, and judging
by the male fan comments directed to her on the band's website (i.e. "Nicole
you are so hot! I'd love to..etc, etc) she has more than her share of admirers.
She also fully exploits this image, as demonstrated by the one picture on the
website of her licking a guitar. Ooh, how phallic!
Anyway, I'm quite enamoured of this updated version of the pop metal thing and
well, ahem, find Nicole sexy as well. What do you want? I'm a hot blooded Canadian
dude...and human...and need to be loved..etc, oh and I forgot to mention that
SP are Canadian and hail from London, Ontario, also home to Kittie, those evil
death metal chicks. Unlike SP, Kittie take their metal way more seriously though.
The guys in SP seem like they'd rather be thrashing and double bassing away
than be stuck with this pop chick. But oh well, tension is great for creativity
I guess.
"Fade Away" opens things with a chugging riff and Nicole whispering the beginning
verse first, then screaming FADE AWAY at the top of her lungs. It's got an electro
beat in the background too, so could be classified as "disco pop metal". Does
that turn you off? Well, I'm dancing now. Next up is "M-Bomb" which sounds like
they nicked a riff from Korn or Kittie, but share and share alike I say. The
bridge does sound like an amateur trying to play Metallica's "One", but I never
said these guys were virtuosos. The chorus is annoying as well, so ok, let's
move on to the next song. "Sleepwalking" sounds like a potential single with
its radio friendly feel, but has a wicked riff and spiralling bassline. Great
melody too. "Pants Down" rocks out totally with Hughes yelling "OMIGAWD KILL
ME" valley girl style to kick the song off. This song ventures into Runaways
territory with a "Cherry Bomb" style riff, and I'm still trying to figure out
the lyrics. They're either about oral sex or her teasing some guy into giving
him...well, oral sex.
Hmm...well, "Keep Looking My Way" is definitely about man-stealing with Hughes
taunting "keep looking my way/give me a chance I'll make you forget her" in
the chorus. Something tells me that she doesn't have many female fans. "Dragonfire"
has a heavy bassline and a crushing riff that compliments her opening lyric
"see my middle finger as I walk away/never looking back". "Wake Up You're On
Fire" closes the album and finds the band in full death metal mode. It's truly
the heaviest song on the album and something tells me they could do more like
it, but are too concerned about writing songs with pop structures at the moment.
Nicole does sound pretty ridiculous growling death metal style on the track,
but perhaps the song is a joke more than anything else. But it does rock.
So SP continue to dazzle crowds with their interesting fusion of metal bombast
and classic pop. What I find refreshing about them is they don't take themselves
too seriously and have made listening to this album a fun experience.
Any comments or reviews to grant us with?