From the hallowed halls of the Cleveland, OH music scene come This is a Shakedown! A surprisingly inventive band known for their riotous live shows and clever, new wave riddled, heavy rock sound, this band is technically still in its infancy. That said, Love Kills has all the swagger of a veteran band and a focused vision that most newbies lack these days. Produced by the well-established Michael Seifert and engineered by Sean Beavan (NIN, Marilyn Manson, Slayer, and SOAD), Love Kills is as strong a debut as they come.
The album opens with the heavily new wave “Circles,” my personal favorite track. The electro-tinged vocals and deep groove makes the track really memorable. The title track comes first and starts to mix up the sound a little with Marilyn Manson-esqe verses and explosive dance choruses. Other noteworthy tracks are the Pet Shop Boys influenced “Radio” (which could easily, and hopefully will, be a massive hot on its namesake) and the almost dark romantic vibe of “ComeAnCutMyHeartOut.” The album’s finale, “Caving In,” is absolutely excellent as well with the huge anthemic chorus and the almost techno flavored verses. Really, everything on here is, at a minimum, solid.
Love Kills is one of those albums that just soars and you get caught up in it as it goes. When it ends you are sort of surprised it’s over but are equally surprised at how many melodies are still stuck in your head. Any fan of electronic music or modern sounding hard rock should find Love Kills more than a little to their liking. Don’t miss out.
Reviewed by Mark Fisher
