Pretty Maids' 'Undress Your Madness' - Album Review

The Denmark-based hard rock act Pretty Maids are one of those bands that I have been a fan of for quite some time without ever really falling in love with. The band have released plenty of good albums over the years, all of which have largely stuck to the same formula. I have compared the band in the past to a less-heavy version of Saxon, with a greater emphasis on melodic songwriting and keyboards. The band never operate in full-on heavy metal territory, instead taking some of the edge found in 1980s metal and mix it with classic hard rock and the occasional AOR influence. The sound mix is one that is distinctly the band's own, with the melodic yet raspy vocals of frontman Ronnie Atkins holding everything together. Considering that the band have been around since 1981, and released their first album Red, Hot and Heavy in 1984, Pretty Maids have been extremely consistent throughout their career. While I have not heard anywhere near everything that the band has released over the years, I am yet to hear a truly weak Pretty Maids album. They are one of those bands that you know exactly what you are going to get, with each album sticking to established tropes with little real variation. Even the albums the band released throughout the 1990s, a decade famously not kind to many hard rock acts, are held in high regard by the band's die-hard fans. It was with a sense of familiarity then when I first listened to Undress Your Madness, the band's new sixteenth album, when it was released last month. I had been three years since the band's last album Kingmaker (which I reviewed here), so I was ready to hear something new from the Danish band. Kingmaker, due to the band recording the album without a full-time keyboard player, was certainly one of the band's heavier albums. The lack of prominent keyboards meant that guitarist Ken Hammer really drove everything leading to more a straight ahead 1980s heavy metal sound. With Chris Laney (Randy Piper's Animal) joining the band not long after Kingmaker's release however, the band were soon back up to their usual five-piece. Laney is more known for his behind-the-scenes role in the music business as a producer and songwriter, but he seems to have seamlessly slotted into the band - and has even co-written a couple of Undress Your Madness' songs. This new album is his first outing with the band, which is also the case for drummer Allan Sørensen (Royal Hunt; Cornerstone) who joined the band in 2017 replacing Allan Tschicaja. However, not long after recording Undress Your Madness, Sørensen left the band. Pretty Maids are currently without a full-time drummer, although Tschicaja stepped back into the fold earlier this year to fulfil some live commitments - but whether he returns to the band permanently remains to be seen. This album is also tinged in sadness, as not long before its release Atkins announced that he was undergoing treatment for lung cancer - so hopefully he can recover from that and get back to doing what he does best.

The album opens up with a short, keyboard-heavy intro that is typical of the genre. Intros like this do help to set the scene, but they are often interchangeable with one another. While the keyboards are somewhat more prominent there than they were on Kingmaker, Pretty Maids has always been a guitar-focused band. Laney's keyboards add depth throughout, but it is Hammer's riffs that often really drive everything. Serpentine is the album's first true song however, which opens slowly from the intro with Rene Shades' snaking (appropriate) bassline before a somewhat symphonic riff kicks in with Hammer's barraging guitars driving everything forward while the keyboards envelop it. The song is extremely similar to the sound that Pretty Maids have been pursuing for the past decade or so. Somewhat heavier and more modern sounding than their early work, the band's modern sound suits Atkins' ageing voice. He still sounds great however, and shines throughout the song's catchy chorus. Laney's synth melodies further elevate the chorus - and form a counter to Atkins' vocal lines. The song is a strong album opener, and sticks to the mid-pace that the band tends to operate in these days. Some speed is injected with Hammer's solo - but the on the whole the track is characterised by a strong symphonic crunch. Firesoul Fly is very similar, although the symphonic elements are dialled back to create a heavier, more atmospheric sound. The opening riff is a tough one, but the verses are an immediate throwback to the 1980s with some clean guitar melodies and dense synths. As a result, the song sounds more like their earlier albums than many of the tracks here - with big melodies dominating. While the chorus is not as catchy as it could be, the big use of backing vocals really helps to widen out the sound. Despite being a relatively new face in the band, I feel that Laney's influence can immediately be felt throughout the album. He has done a lot of work with glam and sleaze bands in the past, and things like the big use of backing vocals throughout this song seem to come from his overall influence. It does not drastically change the band's sound, as Pretty Maids have been sounding like this since the early 1980s, but there are a few tweaks to be found that just shake things up a little. The album's title track, one of Laney's two co-writes, follows and it is instantly one of the album's heaviest moments with some barrelling double bass drumming from Sørensen and a guitar riff that is heavier than your average Pretty Maids moment. Despite this opening crash, the track does not operate at this pace and tone throughout. The chorus is pretty heavy, with walls of tough guitars, but the verses are a bit more laid back with spooky synths and background chugging guitar rhythm. This is very typical of the modern Pretty Maids sound, and it really allows Atkins to showcase his power. He still sounds excellent, with the raspy side of his voice perfect for these heavier moments.

Will You Still Kiss Me (If I See You in Heaven) is a bit of ballad and, after three relatively upbeat pieces, helps to provide a bit of an early change of pace. It is still a fairly weighty piece however, with Sørensen laying down a punchy beat throughout, but the pace is much slower and the keyboards are much more prominent. The verses are simple, with a hypnotic clean guitar melody and a thick bassline, with the chorus being an explosion of 1980s goodness with Laney's piano and synths really cutting through the mix while the band harmonise with Atkins to give the song a big sound. There are occasional bursts of heaviness, such as a tough riff that kicks in after the first chorus, but on the whole this is a lighter track - with big melodies being pushed to the fore and an appropriately-emotional guitar solo capping everything off. Runaway World is immediately more upbeat with a driving opening guitar pattern and dancing keyboard lead. The song is another throwback to the 1980s, and another that showcases Laney's influence through his prominent keyboards and anthemic chorus. His inclusion seems to seen the band double down on some of these 1980s vibes, taking listeners back to the Red, Hot and Heavy album. None of the band's signature crunch has been lost however, with Hammer and Shades constantly toughening the track up. The keyboards may be providing the main melodies here, but the guitars and bass still keep the edge on the track - and form a perfect backing for Atkins' big chorus vocal melodies. If You Want Peace (Prepare for War) sees the heaviness ramped up again and the result is one of the toughest tracks here. From the opening ominous guitar chug and cold synth riff the track sets a heavy tone - and when Sørensen's drums roll in Hammer switches over to an all-enveloping riff that just smashes through the speakers. Pretty Maids are not a band to do all-out heavy too often, so when they do it really hits the spot. This is a track that never lets up, with Sørensen's drumming keeping up a steaming pace throughout - including plenty of double bass patterns - while Hammer lays down some of the snarliest riffing on the album. Not to be done, Laney's keyboards are still extremely present, often adding unsettling little melodies atop the heavy crunch. This is especially the case during the choruses, which sees a pseudo-symphonic keyboard backing from him that perfectly backs the fast-paced metal of the rest of the band - as well as Atkins' barked vocals. Slavedriver is another heavier track, although the pace is slowed down to more of a mid-pace, with a big keyboard presence once again and plenty of fat bass playing. The verses here are some of the album's heaviest moments however, with Sørensen's tight mechanical drum beat and tough guitar rhythms. Hammer lays a snaking guitar lead atop this cacophony, and Atkins spits out the venomous lyrics with ease. Laney is a multi-instrumentalist and, while he is in the band primarily for his keyboard talents, he also contributes some extra guitar work throughout. During songs like this I imagine him laying down the tough rhythms, which then allows Hammer to cut loose a little with his lead work. Pretty Maids started out as a six-piece, with two guitarists and a keyboard player, but have not have a second guitarist since the early 1990s. Having Laney being able to switch between the two instruments certainly opens up more possibilities for the band, with tracks like this showcasing the benefit of having two guitarists again.

Shadowlands is a bit more lighthearted after a number of heavier tracks, and instantly will transport the listener back to the 1980s with piano cutting through the opening instrumental section and a subtly-chugging verse that features some great longing vocals from Atkins. In fact, the real star of this track is Atkins - who's vocal performance is perfect for the song. He spent the past couple of numbers really pushing the aggressive side of his voice, but here he shows that he can still belt out a soaring AOR melody when required. The chorus of the track is the closest the album comes to AOR, and while Pretty Maids have never been an AOR band they certainly have always taken influence from the more melodic end of rock. This is probably the album's biggest example of that influence, with big soaring backing vocals and plenty of keyboards to add additional melodies. Black Thunder ups the heaviness again, but there is still something of an old-school 1980s vibe throughout with dancing synths in the background and an anthemic chorus that features some powerful gang vocals. It seems to mix the heavier and more melodic sides of the band together perfectly, with plenty of crunch and a punchy drum beat to really keep everything moving. The keyboards however, despite being largely in the background, stop everything from feeling as heavy as some of the other tracks found here as a catchy melody is always just about in ear range. In some ways then, this is a track that really sums up the sound the band have been forging over the past decade or so. The mix of light and heavy is what makes Pretty Maids an enjoyable band to listen to, and this is a great example of that modern sound. The album comes to a close with Strength of a Rose, another somewhat slower song that is not quite a ballad but certainly feels more like one when compared to some of the album's other songs. Clean guitars and synths form the basis much of the song, although the chorus feels a little heavier with Hammer's droning guitar rhythms and Laney's pulsing synths. The modern Pretty Maids sound is characterised by heavier vibes, as previously described, but they also do these slower tracks well. The chorus here really soars with 1980s goodness, and Hammer lays down a melodic solo towards the end that pulls the emotional of the song to new heights. A key-change then follows and the band launch into a final reprise of the chorus that sees the song move to somewhat melancholic close. Overall, Undress Your Madness is another strong album from the Danish band that sees them adding to their already-large catalogue of material with another collection of good songs. I feel that I already prefer this album to Kingmaker due to the more varied sound found here, but in truth Undress Your Madness is another album in a line of solid recent releases from Pretty Maids.

The album was released on 8th November 2019 via Frontiers Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Will You Still Kiss Me (If I See You in Heaven).