The Swedish female hard rockers are back with a very well-crafted and accomplished album. ‘Black and Gold’ is another example of what they are capable of, a more straight forward and mature piece of pure elevating hard rock tunes which will make happy their fanbase and actually give them the opportunity to gain more. After all, they kick ass on their live shows, proving to be a fantastic band with ‘guts’! This record justifies their hard work on several aspects, taking their status one step (or more..) further. In detail, there are more catchy and refined guitar riffs from Filippa, who is a brilliant guitar player, able to play the real stuff the real way. Emphasis has been given to the choruses and vocals, where Guernica, as times goes by and being a full member of the band for quite some time now, reveals more and more her diverse and rich vocal capabilities. “Hot Mess” is a beautiful power ballad which proves exactly the latter, Guernica is a great singer who can absolutely deliver so fine in a hard rock band. The album is again full of awesome hard rock songs, you get excited by listening to it, riff after riff and it is worth mentioning here the great rhythm section of bass player Mona Lindgren and longstanding drummer Emlee Johansson who form a solid duo behind the rhythm base where everything is based upon. ‘Black and Gold’ might be the 5th work of this great band, but paves the way for their brilliant present and future with its dynamic, electrifying and exciting character, a fine example of pure hard rock tunes, strong personality and most of all the undisputed attitude of four true hard rocker girls!
♦ 8/10
Antonis Mantzavinos
