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REVIEW – Halestorm must be between albums again. I say this because we get another ReAniMate covers EP. If you are a fan of this band, you know that they are going to deliver for you on these EP’s. If you are not a fan, this may not be the proper introduction to the band you would need to start a fandom. Halestorm to me is one of those bands that I feel if the press did not constantly bring up the looks of the lead singer, that people would be more open to accept them. Their albums are fair. They are not groundbreaking, but if your purpose is to let an album entertain you, they do that. To be honest, I was not a fan of the last two EP’s and this one took a long time to grow on me.
Halestorm again cover the eras of the 80’s hair metal scene and the 90’s grunge and alternative scene. ( They also a cover of something in the last few years as well) This show begins with their cover of the popular Whitesnake song, “ Still of the Night”. I was a huge Whitesnake fan growing up. The transition from “ Slide it in” to “ Whitesnake” was hard for some fans. It seems that the bluesy metal was being replaced by commercialism. Where a song like “ Still of the Night” was that bridge that tried to show us the best of the past of the band and where they are heading. Halestorm’s rendition is faithful to the original but it sounds way too modern. The guitar sound is lacking and Hale is trying to bite off more than she can chew, with how faithful to Coverdale she dares to get.
It is the next song that I have my issues with. I am a huge fan of Sophie B. Hawkins. “ Damn, I Wish I Was Your Lover” is that timeless classic from the 90’s. I still listen to the “ Tongues and Tails” record. Talk about a very underrated gem. The album starts off with this song and really captures such a beauty and passion. Hale and her crew decide to spruce it up and make it a little more metal oriented. Which I felt was a major downer. This would have been the best time, to have Hale do a spoken word version or acoustic of this song to change the perception fans have of this band. The opposite can be said about their version of the Joan Jett classic, “ I Hate Myself for Loving You”. They really make this their own. This is a very good rendition. The style that Halestorm brings to music fits this song perfectly.
I have to admit, I own the Twenty One Pilots cd. I have yet to listen to it. I bought it for my wife. So, when I hear their version, I am not familiar with the original to base it off of. But, I like what the band do on this song. Hale continues her obsession with Chris Cornell and does a cover of Soundgarden, “ Fell on Black Days”. I like this better than the previous cover they did of “ Hunger Strike” by Temple of the Dog. This is more groove and rock based and less grunge. I am a huge fan of Soundgarden and I have heard far worst covers of their songs. This one was actually not so bad.
The last song is the one that I am on the fence about. For the band to do a Metallica cover seems like a natural fit. I always pictured them doing a cover of something later in the career of the band not earlier. It seems when bands these days cover early Metallica , it is more for trendy than tribute. Hale delivers an impressive vocal outing on this song. The issue is that the rest of the band just do not share her passion or enthusiasm. This is a song I bet would go over better live than on record. I can see the band live really getting into it more than in a studio setting.
As a whole, the new Halestorm EP. has a lot to like, but it also has a lot to question. Let me make this easy, if you are a fan, you will like this. If you are a non-fan, you will be on the internet to bitch more about this band. I would give this a low C. I feel that Halestorm is one of those bands that seem like a one person show. The love or dislike you have of the band is all based on Hale and how you feel about her. This band I feel is in the same pickle that Lacuna Coil, In This Moment and most female led bands at this moment. The lead singer has her beauty taking over and the music is being second.
That is why I am such a fan of a band like Metric. They avoided all this and wanted the band as a whole to be the stars. More bands should open that avenue up, either you accept all of us or none of us. Halestorm, I feel should have been open to that early on. This EP is fine for what it is. It is a appetizer between cds. Something you listen to, and then forget about once the new record comes out.
