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Lillian Axe: Sad Day On Planet Earth

Lillian Axe: Sad Day On Planet Earth

Melodic Hard Rock
Rating: 4.75/5.0

Blistering Records
www.lillianaxe.com
www.myspace.com/lillianaxe
Review: Craig Hartranft,  06.28.2009

Lillian Axe is another great American hard rock band, filled with great talent and songs, that arose in the late 1980's only to fall into obscurity after a handful of albums, another victim of the rise of grunge. A brief return came in 1999 with Fields Of Yesterday, only to disappear quickly. Band leader, songwriter, and guitarist Steve Blaze resurrected the band once more with 2007's Waters Rising, a well received album that garnered moderate success. Now with Blistering Records, Lillian Axe is back with Sad Day On Planet Earth, an ambitious and versatile work of melodic hard rock.

Sad Day On Planet displays Lillian Axe at their oft unappreciated best, delivering a breadth and depth of song composition most bands, new and old, can only hope for. Lillian Axe, thanks to Blaze's creative song craftsmanship, can bring a diverse range of music from melodic metal and hard rock to smooth ballad and AOR to most anything between. Sad Day On Planet Earth is driven by huge melodies, intelligent lyrics, strong lead vocals (Derrick LeFevre) and vocal arrangements, a solid rhythm section, and Blaze's fundamental guitar work.

You would think with 15 songs there would be an expectation of predictability, monotony or, most certainly, some major filler songs. But you would be wrong on all points. The same aforementioned depth of song composition keeps you interested from beginning to end. Lillian Axe brings some memorable melodic hard rock with MegaSlowFade, Kill Me Again, and the versatile and profound, Jesus Wept (my personal favorite). They turn a bit heavier on Down Below The Ocean and towards near prog rock on the unique arrangements of Ignite and Divine.

Blaze and company exceed expectations when the arrangements turn softer with the ballads Sad Day On Planet Earth and Within Your Reach and the melodic rock/AOR hybrid, Blood Raining Down On Her Wings. Sad Day On Planet Earth concludes with Fire, Blood, the Earth and Sea, a song which revisits every element within this work, but reminds mostly of the best arena filling rock of the 1980's.

On Sad Day On Planet Earth, Lillian Axe returns with their best and most ambitious collection of diverse melodic hard rock in their career. The music is genuinely versatile, intriguing and immensely entertaining. Lillian Axe is back and the girl has an axe to grind ... Highly recommended!

In Short

In Sad Day On Planet Earth, Lillian Axe returns with their best and most ambitious collection of diverse melodic hard rock. The music is genuinely versatile, intriguing and immensely entertaining. Lillian Axe is back and the girl has an axe to grind ... Highly recommended!

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