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Rebellious Spirit: Obsession
Rebellious Spirit Obsession CD Album Review

Rebellious Spirit: Obsession

Melodic Hard Rock/Metal
4.0/5.0

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Steamhammer/SPV Records
Words: Craig Hartranft  Added: 18.09.2014

Rebellious Spirit is still a young band, average age of the members is around 20 or so, but they're releasing their second album, Obsession, only 15 months after their debut. In between, they've played some European festivals and toured in support of label mate Alex Rudi Pell. You would suspect time and experience would lend to some maturity in their music.

Rebellious Spirit Obsession Band Photo

Rebellious Spirit: relaxed.

Describing their sound can be rather simple: contemporary classis melodic hard rock touch with the edge of metal. But with this album Rebellious Spirit seems to be going for the Def Leppard effect where the music sounds dense and layered, from riffs through vocal arrangements, then wrapped up in that pop metal accessibility. Though I can't put my finger on it, there seems to be some synths or guitar synths working here as well to deepen their overall sound. You catch some of this from Wall of Lies, Summer Moved On, and Confidence Man. That last song has a rock groove which could go beyond toe-tapping to body moving dancing.

Yet, here's the thing: the riffs are edgy enough on these songs and others to assure you that you're still getting melodic hard rock and metal. In this sense, Silent Scream, Forever and Ever, and Obsession rock heavier, and should satisfy traditionalists. Another is Breakout with some very tough riffs and deep drums kicking the harmonious vocal arrangements. There are two psuedo-ballads with Together and In My Dreams, both moving mostly upon Jannik Fischer's vocal arrangements. And his voice has changed some since the last album, a bit deeper, and not always that clear, his German accent making the English lyrics muddy. Otherwise, Rebellious Spirit stays the course writing and playing contemporary classic melodic hard rock and metal with a maturity beyond their young years. Recommended.


Rebellious Spirit - Lost


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In Short

With Obsession, Rebellious Spirit stays the course writing and playing contemporary classic melodic hard rock and metal with a maturity beyond their young years. Recommended.

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