THUNDERMOTHER – HEAT WAVE
THUNDERMOTHER – HEAT WAVE (AFM RECORDS, 2020)
Filippa Nässil’s band makes another step forward in acquiring a more personal sound !
Genre: Hard Rock
Rating: 7/10
Sometimes it’s hard to scrap the page and find new energy and inspiration for a fresh start: Thundermother did precisely this in 2017, with a radical line-up change that left founder and leader Filippa Nässil as the only original surviving member. New ideas and contribution entered and the result was “Thundermother” (2018), a powerful yet not excessively innovative album: the style remained the same of the preceeding works, an AC/DC imbued sound matched with a simple yet amazingly energetic approach at music. The new singer added range and depth at the cost of a certain roughness. Out goes a bass player, in gets another one and in 2020 Filippa’s band hit the studio again with “Heat Wave”, about to be released on the coming 31th of July. This time the Swedish combo seems to have really started to follow a more personal vision: 13 songs (a bit too many, if you ask me) lots of which reach the goal of not being some kind of tribute to AC/DC or, in their heaviest moments, Motorhead. Let’s get it straight: we’re talking of fine musicians here, no doubt about it and I wouldn’t dare to say this is not a nice album (exquisite production, by the way, courtesy of Mr. Soren Andersen and his Medley Studios in Copenhagen); it’s only that Thundermother are one tiny step away in getting the confidence they need to be themselves. One praise to Guernica Mancini, whose vocals are getting a tad raspier and grittier at times compared to her debut on “Thundermother”, thus giving her a more “edgy” flavour. She really shines in the title-track and in “Driving in Style”, powerful and groovy. Almost all the tracks show a firm crowd pleasing attitude, relying on catchy & driving choruses (“Free Ourselves”, “Dog from Hell”), rock-solid riffs (“Loud and Alive”, “Ghosts”) and a thunderous rhythmic section: Majsan Lindberg on bass and Emlee Johansson on drums are a bloody powerhouse, don’t you ever try to mess with them! Anyway the real potential of this awesome band emerges when they break the strict rules of hard rock and take a walk into uncharted territory. I really loved “Purple Sky”, with its irresistible 70’s swagger; but my personal pick is “Somebody Love Me”. Breath-taking vocals, inspired lyrics and a fabulous guitar work. You couldn’t ask for more. Guys, Thundermother sure play rock ‘n’ roll and they’re on the right track to find their own, unique groove.
TRACKLIST:
1) Loud and Alive
2) Dog from Hell
3) Back in ‘76
4) Into the Mud
5) Heat Wave
6) Sleep
7) Driving in Style
8) Free Ourselves
9) Mexico
10) Purple Sky
11) Ghosts
12) Somebody Love Me
13) Bad Habits
Line-up:
Guernica Mancini: Vocals
Majsan Lindberg: Bass
Web:https://www.facebook.com/thundermother/
Article by: Karl Eisenmann