If you don’t recognise this name, it is not you! They only got together in early 2018 and had only published one EP, “Seducer”, last spring. Taken from Notörious’ just released debut CD, the track was enough to draw critics’ attention to this emerging Norwegian band and to call for comparisons with Klaus Meine (with regards to lead vocalist Chris Höudini) and Yngwie Malmsteen (when talking of guitarist Nikki DiCato).
And what a debut this is! Imagine Mötley Crue with Klaus Meine on vocals? In a nutshell, it is a bit like that: a cross between the Crue, Scorpions and Europe. Bombastic melodies, flawless high pitch vocals, catchy tunes, pure raw endless energy: they have it all thrown in the mix, all the spices from a recipe for guaranteed excellent glam rock/metal.
If this wasn’t a Scandinavian band, it might have been surprising to hear such fantastic quality in a debut album, but given the rock history of that part of Europe, nothing could come as a surprise anymore: this is the place where raw talents grow like mushrooms, each one as brilliant as the rest. What Notörious should be given credit for, however, is that they have somehow skipped the initial stage of growing up and have blossomed straight onto a fully accomplished talent. They stand right up there, next to Swedish giants H.E.A.T. who recently released their fantastic album “H.E.A.T. II” (reviewed by us here), and it is very tempting to draw a comparison between the two bands. It would be interesting to see them on stage together, neck to neck, pure brilliance.
‘Glamorized’ is a perfectly mastered album boasting everything that a glam/melodic metal band has got to offer. Their high speed and pure energy are contagious. This is bombastic metal, and right from the explosive start there is no break, no slowing down. No power ballad either, just speed and rhythm. They are yet another proof that this genre is nowhere near dead, and the heritage of Mötley Crue and Europe lives on into their reincarnation with the new generation of rockers. And its future is bright, too, as the new kids on the block do not just follow in the footsteps of their predecessors, but give the genre a whole new face, by making original music in its own rights, not repeating anyone and not copying anyone.
The promoters call this album “heavy metal freight train full of energy”, and this nails it. So, if you intend to listen to this release, buckle up and take a deep breath, as you won’t have the chance to catch it until the end.
It is difficult to single out any tracks, as they are just as explosive as each other, but potential hits could be songs like ‘Friday Night’, ‘Summer Nights’ and ‘Have a Good Time’ (the last one reminding us of yet another influence of the band, Van Halen).
- Review by Angelina Pelova
- Released through Sliptrick records on 31 March 2020
Track list:
- Gunnerside
- Flying High
- Notörious
- Have A Good Time
- Friday Night
- I Walked In
- Run For Your Life
- Seducer
- Summer Nights
- Tonight (Gonna Get It)
