Never judge a book by its cover! or at least, a band by its effigy where Milton Keynes glam-rock outfit, Lionsex is concerned. With an image easily passable of an 80’s styled Motley Crue, you’d be forgiven for stereotyping image with sound and thinking they were about as sleazy as The Treatment and as cartoonish as Steel Panther... but you’d be wrong.
Funded mainly through the sales of merchandising, debut album (suitably titled) ‘Get It,’ was unleashed in to the wild last October... but “nobody said it was gonna be easy!” With the cancellation of a UK tour in December that would have promoted the release, and the more recent departure of guitarist Jakk Vanity, it’s safe to assume they’ve suffered their fair share of rock ’n’ roll tribulations along the way... But alas, prrrowling their way to the top with ‘Get It’, Lionsex grind their nails to ensure they leave no one unscathed.
Recorded in the capable hands of a team at the helm of Bullet for my Valentine’s first three albums, amidst other modern classics like Trivium and Skindred, this top notch lot has helped catapult the underground sound of ‘Get It’ into a whole new generation of rock.
Summing up ‘the Lionsex effect’ to its full extent, Davy Lyonz’ chunky thudding bass line echoes straight into anthemic, title opener “Get It.” Packed with shit loads of raw energy, and possessing the same dynamics you’d expect to find on a glam-rock gem by Hanoi Rocks- you’ll be sure to have it on repeat by the end.
Cemented by the band’s originality to bypass the current trend among other sleaze groups saluting beer and tits, Lionsex take the sensible approach to rock n’ roll. With lyrics like “Land of hopeless faded glory, politicians spin a different story...” to the also anthemic, ‘Rip Off Britain,’ and “Money ain’t quite what it used to be, now that’s funny, you’d think that would be good news to me...” belonging to the heavy, Manson-esque melodies of ‘Used To Be’, the band focuses entirely on political issues of struggle and stories of heartbreak instead.
Dark, deep and gruff, Front man Jef Leppard makes vocal influences crystal clear in ‘M.I.A (Missing In Action)’ when raw vocal harmonies bridge the gap fittingly, between Marilyn Manson and The 69 Eyes’ Jyrki 69.
Energy-fuelled tracks like ‘Smokin’ Out The Neighbour Hood’ and ‘Rocket 2 Your Heart,’ possess party-rock qualities at their finest, and the arpeggio-stricken ‘Nobody Said It Was Gonna Be Easy,’ sumptuously chimes an infectious resonant note, with potential chart-topping hooks that perhaps even Radio 1 wouldn’t mind playing.
‘Bringing Back The Heartache,’ closes the album on a pop-rock, sentimental high and this melodic heart-felt number, hypnotises listeners with its catchy lyrics and bass-led solos armed with palm muted riffs, and grungy industrial beats that play akin to an earlier, Manson versus Reznor epoch.
Rendered with enough personality to make it all their own, with big melodies, huge choruses, bigger hair and tight riffs, this radio-friendly debut lays bare, the Lionsex effect, blending the anarchy attitudes of greats like Guns N’ Roses and Motley Crue, with the grungy vibrant, modern and heavy, sounds of Marilyn Manson, Pearl Jam and Metallica.
2012 might be the year of the Dragon, but the roar on this Lion is loud enough and fierce enough to prowl its way to the top. So if you like your rock riffs poppy and catchy with a grungy modern and occasional bluesy edge, then any clue as to what the missing ingredient might be that could complete the recipe of rock, is found in the title of this album... as fully recommended by Stereoboard - if you haven’t already, ‘GET IT!’
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Funded mainly through the sales of merchandising, debut album (suitably titled) ‘Get It,’ was unleashed in to the wild last October... but “nobody said it was gonna be easy!” With the cancellation of a UK tour in December that would have promoted the release, and the more recent departure of guitarist Jakk Vanity, it’s safe to assume they’ve suffered their fair share of rock ’n’ roll tribulations along the way... But alas, prrrowling their way to the top with ‘Get It’, Lionsex grind their nails to ensure they leave no one unscathed.
