The term “supergroup” is certainly one that gets thrown around all too easily. While its natural to want to judge a band by their past merits, it’s important to take a look at the product presented to you at the time. World Be Free proved this point recently, and the same can be said for Boston’s latest export Holy Fever. While their pedigree may include American Nightmare, Hope Conspiracy, The Explosion, and The Suicide File, Holy Fever set themselves apart from the past on their debut album ‘The Wreckage’.
The idea of people who have grown up the hardcore scene going on to produce music vastly different to what you would expect isn’t something new, and even guitarist Neeraj Kane has dipped his toes into a more melodic territory before as part of Holy Roman Empire. However, Holy Fever have a far more surprising sound about them. With most of their bands either inactive, or only sporadically playing shows, its has given the members of Holy Fever a chance to really refine.
‘The Wreckage’ is an album of two opposites, seamlessly welded together to create something new. The range and vocal delivery of bassist Samantha Barbera complements Todd Cooper’s harsher attack perfectly, effortlessly trading off each other during ‘Find Your Fame’ and ‘Something’s Coming’. Barbera is almost like the sweet to Cooper’s sour, adding saccharine melody as she takes the lead on ‘We Are The Wreckage’, and cohesively sits next to Cooper’s larynx shredding bile on ‘Border Blind’.
Of course the biggest difference between Holy Fever and their musical heritage is that ‘The Wreckage’ is a straightforward rock ‘n’ roll album. Not rock ‘n’ roll in the sense of commercial rock bands who claim to be playing “heavy” music; this is real rock ‘n’ roll. They swagger their way through ‘Heart Of Gold’ with bravado, and even the slower, brit-pop leaning ‘Many Roads To Follow’ still has enough hooks to make you shake your hips.
‘The Wreckage’ is an engaging record from start to finish, filled with short, sharp, and infectious tracks that leave you desperately wanting more.
GLEN BUSHELL