Right from the start Karen Kennedy's 20 minute EP, "Inside My Head", sets the mood for the remainder of the CD: "Time To Kill" (track #1 of 5) displays a rhythmic guitar-driven groove accompanied by pounding drums backing up Kennedy's agressive vocals. The music often has a rolling, epic sound. The promotional material cites Judas Priest as a significant influence, and I would add Iron Maiden and Fight as bands one can make comparisons to as well as some of popular rock anthems of the 80's.
In fact, the highly ordered song structure, with its clean, tight vocal delivery backed by punchy regular drumming and punctuated by pristine wailing guitar solos is very reminiscent of the 80's metal sound. To its credit, this music inherits none of the glam stylings of the 80's, merely the precision and regularity of the overall sound.
The songs reflect a moody romanticism and a yearning for freedom, escape from entrapment, both from the outside world and one's inner demons. Traces can be felt of obsession, passion and a dark magicical sensibility. This is the kind of music that is appealing while driving on the open road at night: No stop lights, no one else on the road -- just a clean black line of asphalt illuminated in a hazy glow of headlights. A pulsing rhythm that keeps you locked in, precise breakdowns of the beat into occasional irregular eddies, and pure impassioned vocals. Certainly Kennedy's vocals are quite impressive; at times agressive and guttoral, other times higher and very clean. The song "Sunlight in Shadow" with its velvety vocal production is interesting, and adds additional diversity to the feel of the album.
Overall I consider Karen Kennedy's "Inside My Head" a good album. It's very true to a certain idea or ethos of what rock music is supposed to be about, without the ingratiating alternarock whining that is so common these days. Sometimes though, the backing sound gets a bit predictable and really is a bit too reminiscent of the 80's. I think more innovation in the arrangements of the music would be desirable as well perhaps as more creativity and diversity in the musicianship overall, but maybe that's the point, to keep things honest and simple.
In any case, I admire musicians who don't wholeheartedly sell their souls to buy into the current trend; I enjoyed getting iside Karen Kennedy's head and I trust so will you, if you like clean, straightforward metal. Hopefully we'll see more, in the shape of a full-length album from Karen soon.
The band is:
Karen Kennedy - Vocals
Tom Dennis - Guitars / Keyboard
Doug Riddle - Drums
Wen Boley - Bass /Keyboards
Rob Grahame - Bass (on A Time To Kill)
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