Crashdiet - GENERATION WILD (Gain/Sony Europe, 2010)

A 21st Century Glam Metal Slam!

11 Tracks, Run time: 40:23

Grade: B+

Leather and chains, hairspray, loud guitars, tons of makeup, tattoos and attitude - Los Angeles, 1989? Nope, try Scandinavia, 2011. "Everything old is new again," as the saying goes, and while most American rock fans may not have gotten the memo yet, the much-missed '80s Sunset Strip sound is not only alive and well, it's experiencing a resurgence in the European underground thanks to a new horde of two-fisted, snot-nosed bands like Hardcore Superstar, Babylon Bombs, and Vains of Jenna, all of whom are proudly carrying the hair/sleaze metal flag into the new millennium.. The four-piece crew of Swedish sleaze merchants known as Crashdiet were once widely considered to be the leaders of this new wave, but unfortunately it's been a mostly-bumpy ride for the band since the release of their 2005 debut REST IN SLEAZE. In 2006 the Crashdiet camp was rocked by the suicide of lead vocalist Dave Lepard, and though the band quickly regrouped with new vocalist H. Olliver Twisted (who appeared on 2007's sophomore release, THE UNATTRACTIVE REVOLUTION), he was out of the band within a year. Now with newcomer Simon Cruz behind the mic, Crashdiet has released album #3, GENERATION WILD, and it appears that finally , all is right in Crashdiet Land again.

For the uninitiated, Crashdiet's sound can best be described as a potent cocktail of early Motley Crue (i.e. TOO FAST FOR LOVE and SHOUT AT THE DEVIL - y'know, when they were still young and hungry and the big-money sellout era of "Home Sweet Home" was nowhere in sight) meshed with the heaviness of SLAVE TO THE GRIND-era Skid Row, and though I may be the only one, I swear I can also detect a bit of Dokken at times, particularly in the impressive vocal harmonies heard during choruses. The first proper track, "My Armageddon," quickly proves that Simon Cruz was the perfect choice to front this the band; he oozes confidence and carries himself with plenty of attitude and swagger, effortlessly changing with the album's moods from a smooth croon to a shriek to an angry snarl. Of course, Crashdiet is not a one-man show, and the other three band members are no slouches either - guitarist Martin Sweet can rip with the best of'em, and his six-string nastiness is capably backed by the drum abuse of Eric Young and the crunchy bass work of Pete London. In a nutshell, GENERATION WILD is one helluva fun ride, chock full of loud, obnoxious, party-hearty anthems with hooks big enough to land a whale. I can hear echoes of "Round and Round" by Ratt and Skid Row's "Youth Gone Wild" in the title track, while "So Alive" opens with a rumbling, heavy bass groove and a piercing scream that wouldn't sound out of place on a Judas Priest album. Slower tracks like "Save Her" and the closing "Beautiful Pain" have enough grit and grease in them to keep them from falling into the dreaded "Power Ballad" territory, and when the band really puts the pedal to the metal, as on the absolutely killer "Rebel," the sizzling "Down With the Dust" and the punk-laced "Native Nature," it's hard to resist the urge to air-guitar along. You'll find yourself humming these songs to yourself in no time.

Catchy enough for the hair metal crowd, heavy enough for the headbangers, and blessed with a healthy dose of F-you punk rock attitude, GENERATION WILD throws a nitro-fueled, middle-fingers-in-the-air hand grenade into the midst of today's pre-packaged, oh-so-pretentious hard rock scene. Crashdiet remembers the days when rock 'n' roll was supposed to be FUN, and with material this strong they're bound to snag more than a few new converts to the Crash-cause. This CD is a mission statement from a band that has been through the fire and is now coming out the other side stronger for it. If this lineup can stick together for more albums (and maybe sign to a label with U.S. distribution!), the sky could be the limit. Somewhere, Dave Lepard is smiling.