House Of Shakira


 

Xit

(Frontiers Records)

 

 

         

 

 

     As a die-hard fan of the Melodic Hard Rock sub-genre, many of my fondest FM and MTV-fueled memories have involved artists and groups not within the purview of the proverbial average (i.e., US-based) listener. Thus, my fascination with Stockholm, Sweden-based House Of Shakira should come as absolutely no surprise. Deftly intertwining their refreshingly forthright interpretation with the hooks, riffs and solos of their more well-known brethren, I diligently followed their career with keening interest. Although I most certainly fell victim to the ch-arms of the Grunge phenomenon as I inevitably aged, I still found myself returning to the group’s arguably finer moments (most notably “Elephant Gun”, “Morning Over Morocco” and “Canned Laughter”) on a regular basis. Thus, with release of the ever-mighty Xit, their latest–and quite possibly greatest–modern auditory offering to date, the quintet at last appears poised for the critical and commercial ‘break-through’ they’ve so rightfully earned.
     On the ingenious Xit (2023), an expertly assembled eleven song collection of Melodic Hard Rock, each track, beginning with the swirling, hook-laden jewel “Something In The Water” and the delightfully-swaggering “Toxic Train” (think Empire era Queensrÿche), immediately commands the rapt and undivided attention of all parties involved, myself most definitely included. Firing on all cylinders early and often, the group wastes little, if any, time flexing their creative muscles, yielding an initial series of audio excursions that are as ‘fine-tuned’ as they are memorable. Flush with a well-deserved air of self-confidence, the group briefly hints at the array of lyrical and compositional ingenuity burgeoning just below the surface (as is most evident on the noteworthy “No Silver Lining”). Appearing leaner and more focused than perhaps ever before without ruining the surprise, the group subtly lays the structural foundation for the manically precise dispositions that quickly follow in its wake.
     Continuing with the fist-pumping anthem “Too Much Love” and the oft-blistering tirade “Twisted Attitude”, the airtight combination of vocalist Andreas Novak (ex-Mind’s Eye, X-Romance), guitarists Anders Lundström and Mats Hallstensson, bassist Per Schelander (Flames Of Fire, ex-Royal Hunt) and drummer Martin Larsson steamrolls ahead like the well-oiled machine they so obviously have become. Driving home the proverbial focal points via a veritable avalanche of soaring, multi-octave vocals, razor-sharp riffs and solos and imaginatively p-unishing rhythms, the group wisely avoids the self-plagiarism that has befallen so many before them. Seemingly re-invigorated by their association with Italian behemoth Frontiers Music (the home of Autograph, Dokken, and Winger, among countless others, they offer a global distribution footprint and a diverse publicity network), the group offer their oft-feral fan-base a second consecutive high-profile release following an era of indie purgatory.
     The long-overdue follow-up to the equally ingenious Radiocarbon (2019) and the re-issue of their 1991 full-length debut (i.e., the ingenious Lint XXV, 2022), other standouts, including the occasionally overwrought, albeit thought-provoking, riff clinic “Hell Or Heaven” and the smoldering, equally impressive Power Ballad “Xit”, serve as an ideal representation of their unique brands of auditory adrenaline. With the group now finding itself on the cusp of the previously-mentioned breakthrough, their efforts remain entirely worthy of the highest of critical and commercial accolades and should be treated as such despite their target audience being admittedly minuscule. Even if you still somehow find yourself less-than-enthralled with their overall emphasis on all things ‘1989’, and ‘1989’-related, one must, at the very least, sincerely admire their already painstakingly well-documented ability to even begin consider persevering amid the unnervingly pessimistic climate of the great unwashed masses.
     In conclusion, what ultimately separates the decidedly canticle Xit from it’s wellheeled contemporaries is the group’s already much-celebrated ability to deliver the proverbial Old School goods without sounding forced or dated. It is within this trait that they ultimately separate themselves from their legitimate contemporaries. While one might effectively argue the group’s more-than-considerable efforts offer ‘precious little’ to expound upon the genre’s established norms, the end results are seemingly guaranteed to leave even the most die-hard of completi-sts only wanting for more. Love ’em or loathe ’em, this is quite possibly as good as modern Melodic Hard Rock gets. Needless to say, if you’ve once again found yourself searching of a refreshingly Old School alternative to the mindless, Pop and Hip-Hop-fueled din and clatters that are so often force-fed en mass, then this, my friends, might just be the high-octane counter-irritants for what it is that ails you. Trust me, you will not be disappointed.

 

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