Crazy Lixx's 'Thrill of the Bite' - Album Review

Whilst the Scandinavian sleaze/hair metal revival which took place throughout the 2000s and 2010s has somewhat died down, with an AOR craze instead now taking hold throughout that part of the world, many of the big hitters of that leather and hairspray scene are still going strong - with one of the most prolific and reliable bands now seemingly Sweden's Crazy Lixx. Funnily enough, though, Crazy Lixx were not initially a band I took to. I never got into their Mötley Crüe-adjacent debut album and when I finally tried to give the band a proper listen a few years later I found 2012's Riot Avenue to be somewhat lacking in quality. As such, I moved on from my attempts and chalked Crazy Lixx up as another band that just were not really for me - despite my love of the genre which they belong to. During the pandemic, though, I tried again - and picked up a copy of their 2016 live album Sound of the Live Minority. It must have been cheap, but I found myself enjoying it quite a lot - so I started to pick up more of the band's work. They are certainly a band that has improved over time. I still do not have all of their albums, as some of them are quite hard to get hold of for a sensible price, but I am familiar with much of the band's catalogue now - and the newer albums tend to be better than the older ones. As things stand, I think my favourite of theirs is 2019's Forever Wild - an album which is just one anthem after another. Despite their sleazier beginnings, the Crazy Lixx of today have fused their hair metal sound with a strong dose of AOR. Despite being on Frontiers Records, though, the band have not morphed into a fully-fledged AOR outfit - and they still retain plenty of sleazy crunch through the guitar playing of Chrisse Olsson and Jens Lundgren, both of whom have been in the band for quite a few years at this point. The band's focal point, though, has always been their frontman, founder, and principal songwriter Danny Rexon. He is the only original member left in the band at this point, but his songwriting and production has helped them evolve over the years - and he once again dominates the band's newly-released ninth album Thrill of the Bite. It is their first album of original material since 2021's Street Lethal (which I reviewed here), not counting last year's Two Shots at Glory which, despite including a handful of new songs, largely featured re-mixed and partially re-recorded versions of old songs. Despite thinking that the band have gotten better over the years, I was actually a bit disappointed with Street Lethal. It is not one I have gone back to that often, but it does contain some strong songs despite it being quite a step down from Forever Wild. Thrill of the Bite is no such disappointment, though, and it is packed full of memorable tracks - with perhaps more of a sleazier edge than anything the band has done for a few years. It is also their first album without drummer Joél Cirera, who left the band last year, who has been replaced by Robin Nilsson (The Cruel Intentions). Nilsson does not feature here, though, with the drums instead handled by Mats Ericsson (Degreed) on a session basis.

Perhaps the album was recorded before Nilsson was brought on board, but there are a few session players credited here - including former members Andreas Eriksson and Edd Liam both adding additional guitars throughout. Perhaps the album was put together with less of a traditional 'band' approach, then, but the overall quality of the songwriting and performances ensure a tight sound. There are few weak songs here, but the album feels pretty front-loaded - with perhaps the best three songs being the first three. The sleazy vibes are on show right away, too, with the fast-paced Highway Hurricane getting the album off to a strong start. The song opens with some juddering guitar patterns and hanging chords, which build towards a pulsing hard rock riff which is straight out of the late 1980s heavier hair metal scene. As time has moved on, though, Crazy Lixx have often tempered their hair metal sound with lusher production techniques and AOR-esque moments - and this song is a perfect example of Rexon's core approach. The riffing is pretty hard-hitting here, cutting through the mix nicely with a strong bass backing, but there are plenty of big vocal harmonies throughout - with the verses seemingly alternating line-by-line between Rexon singing alone and the band harmonising with him. There are strong Def Leppard vibes in the band's approach to harmonies - and this is evident during the song's big chorus, which is has something of a call-and-response approach at times, occasional gang vocals, and a core hook which is really hard to shake. It was a song that grabbed me from the off, and the bluesy guitar solo which comes later on also helps - which is perhaps less high-octane than would be expected, but is packed full of melody. Who Said Rock n' Roll Is Dead reins in the pace somewhat, and the track is a mid-paced anthem from the off - with a tease of the chorus hitting right way before another crunching riff kicks in. This track is less sleazy overall, despite a dose of such remaining, and there is much more of a traditional classic rock strut on display instead - with a bluesy main riff which forms the basis of the muscular verses. The pre-chorus feels a bit more 1980s, with snappier vocal hooks and plenty of harmony vocals, but the chorus then takes things to the next level - even though there is some subtle Hammond organ grounding everything, giving the song a retro edge despite some soaring harmonies. It is a shame, then, that the guitar solo is so brief. The song could have done with a much flashier instrumental moment - and the very short guitar solo feels like a missed opportunity given how strong the rest of the track is. A real favourite here, though, is the sleazy Little Miss Dangerous - which was co-written by long-time bassist Jens Anderson. This song is another which perfectly mixes the band's older hair metal sound with strong AOR vibes - with a strong, mid-paced groove throughout and a lush production which mixes a rougher edge with harmony vocals. Crazy Lixx have rarely been a synth-heavy band, but they are used to good effect to add depth - with the guitars always leading the charge. The riffing here is powerful, and the song's longer runtime allows the guitar solo shine this time - with lots of tapped melodies flirting again with the 1980s. The chorus is where the song really shines, though, and it could be the album's best moment overall. It will not leave the brain once it gets in - and I can see the track being a live favourite for years to come.

Whilst the opening three songs might represent the best of the album - what follows rarely slouches. Those who want something a bit more high-octane will love Call of the Wild, which is a much more fast-paced and crunchy track with plenty of energy. The opening hypnotic guitar melody and bass underpinning certainly draw the listener in, building tension, before a faster riff kicks in and the verse gets underway with Rexon delivering a slightly gruffer vocal. His voice is surprisingly diverse I think - with both grittier and smoother approaches in his locker. This is very much a song which needs something tougher, and he delivers with a gravellier approach that suits the crunchy riffing and busy drumming which characterises the song. There is little of the band's AOR side this time, too, despite plenty of vocal harmonies during the machine gun chorus, and the guitar solo is much more fleet-fingered - building on the opening melody line and expanding on it. Recipe for Revolution takes a much smoother approach - which allows it to contrast nicely with the song before. There is more of a keyboard presence this time, with warm, pulsing synths backing the guitars during the song's intro - and it reminds me of the more AOR-centric sound which was found throughout Forever Wild. It is one of two songs here co-written by Olsson and I tend to like his writing contributions with the band. He helps to add to twist to Rexon's core songwriting style - and there is more of a lead guitar approach throughout, with a hooky opening lead and some other busier lines sitting under the vocals at times. The vocals and guitar tones still deliver a sleazy sound, with a bass-led breakdown later adding depth, whilst the chorus feels smooth and full of hooks - with the song being one of the real growers here in my opinion. Run Run Wild returns to something more akin to the album's typical sound, but there is some of the smoothness of the previous track retained. The Hammond during the song's intro adds a 1970s classic rock weight to the heavier riffing, but the opening parts of each verse are much more stripped back - leaving Rexon singing against a backing of bass, drums, and clean guitar melodies. It is less riffy than usual, then, although the verses do expand as they move along - with the guitars getting tougher as the chorus is approached, which morphs into a much sleazier sound. Big gang vocals and shout-along hooks pack the chorus - and it showcases the best of the band's hair metal side with plenty of easy melodies and quite a lot of attitude. In terms of a sleazy vibe, though, Midnight Rebels really doubles down on this vibe. It is probably one of the weakest cuts here in my opinion, but there are still positives here. The chorus is pretty fun, as it injects a strong pop vibe which is a bit different to anything else on the album, but the riffs here never really get a chance to breathe. Rexon is essentially singing throughout the whole song, from the moment it starts, so the instrumental side of the track never really gets a chance to shine - apart from during a decent guitar solo section. There is a bit of a punk feel to the verses then, due to this urgency, with the chorus feeling a bit too sweet in comparison to the rest of the song - thanks to layers of vocal harmonies and some synths.

The quality is really upped again, though, with Hunt for Danger - Olsson's second writing contribution. Compared to many of the other songs here, it is a pretty dynamic track with quite an expansive arrangement and some different overall sounds which still sit nicely within the core hair metal and AOR sounds on display here. Keyboards play a much bigger role, with the opening riff being backed with a strong synth counter-melody, whilst large parts of the verses are more stripped back with Rexon singing against a synth-heavy backing. As with Olsson's other writing involvement, too, there is a lot of room for lead guitar. There is perhaps less riffing than usual, albeit the opening riff is still very memorable, but a lot of the instrumental sections are more lead guitar-driven than riff-driven - and this adds to the song's overall cinematic feel. There is just a lot more scope there thanks to the strong keyboard presence and the soaring guitar leads - and it also helps that the chorus is one of the album's strongest overall, with hooks aplenty and loads more harmonies. Final Warning is much more high-octane, and after the smoother previous song the hard-driving and riffy track hits hard. The main riff is juddering and fast-paced - with a strong John Sykes feel which is not something typically in the Crazy Lixx playbook. The song sounds massive as a result and it is one of the most energetic pieces on the album. Ericsson's drumming is busy, with plenty of double bass patterns backing the Sykes-esque guitar riffing which creates a strong late 1980s Whitesnake or Blue Murder vibe. Vocally, though, the song is much lighter than those influences - but Rexon weaves plenty of excellent vocal melodies, with his delivery having the energy throughout to match the song's overall power. A suitably shredded guitar solo is also included, and the song never really lets up at all throughout. There is no lull in the energy - and it is great to really hear the band going for it and upping the heaviness overall. The album then comes to a close with Stick It Out, another song which feels a little weaker compared to the bulk of the album. Whilst the album's best songs are the first three, both Hunt for Danger and Final Warning are up there in quality - and I feel that Stick It Out with its stripped back riffing and bluesier overall approach fails to live up to the two previous songs. Perhaps it should have been swapped in the tracklist with Final Warning to let the ripping track close things out - but as things stand the album does end a little limply compared to how it could have. There is nothing wrong with the song, and it does have a decent chorus, but as it is one of only two weaker songs here I feel my interest waning as the album comes to a close. This is a shame, as it is always good when an album ends on a bang, but there is so much quality elsewhere on the album that Thrill of the Bite overall is a very enjoyable release. I do not listen to a lot of new hair metal these days, so it is good to hear something new which is packed full of quality songs - and Crazy Lixx rise up in my estimations the more I hear. I am looking forward to seeing them live for the first time later in the year, too, and I hope that a few songs from this album are played - as many of them would go down really well.

The album was released on 14th February 2025 via Frontiers Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Little Miss Dangerous.

Marko Hietala's 'Roses from the Deep' - Album Review

Since releasing his debut solo album Pyre of the Black Heart (which I reviewed here) worldwide in January 2020, a lot has happened in Marko Hietala's world. The album was actually available in his native Finnish under the title of Mustan Sydämen Rovio the previous year, but I imagine that most people came to it in 2020 - when it was re-done in English and released worldwide via Nuclear Blast Records. He managed to complete a brief European tour in support of the album in early 2020 - but the start of the pandemic in March 2020 put a halt on any further plans to promote it, if any were indeed planned. In truth, the rest of 2020 was likely going to be taken up with Nightwish duties. Human. :II: Nature. (which I reviewed here) was released in April 2020, with touring planned for the rest of the year, but by the time Nightwish managed to get on the road to support their sprawling ninth album Hietala was no longer part of the band. He announced in January 2021 that he was leaving the band due to depression-related issues as well as a growing disillusionment with the music industry. His lengthy statement suggested that he would withdraw from public life for a while, perhaps indefinitely, and it was unclear at the time whether Hietala would make music again. Nightwish have definitely become a weaker unit since his departure, both in the vocal and songwriting departments as he seemed to be the only person Tuomas Holopainen would trust to write for the band, but it was clear that Hietala needed a break - and to get away from the huge touring commitments and pressure that comes from being in a band as big as Nightwish. I hoped that he would be back one day, but if he was done with music then I would have understood. Hietala's career can be traced back to 1982 when he formed Tarot with his brother - and he has been very active since, playing in a number of different bands and turning up on plenty of other albums as a guest. It was great, then, when he started to resume his career in the summer of 2022 - playing a few shows with his all-star cover band Northern Kings as well as with his solo band. Since then, Hietala has been pretty active again. Whilst certainly not hitting Nightwish levels of activity, Hietala has been getting out and about - playing more shows with his solo band, bringing Tarot out of the slumber it had been in since the death of drummer Pecu Cinnari, and even collaborating with his former Nightwish colleague Tarja Turunen by joining her on tour and recording a new song with her (more on that later). This increased activity clearly prompted him to write again and, following the release of some singles over the past few months, Hietala released his second solo album Roses from the Deep last month. Keeping the same band as last time: guitarist Tuomas Wäinölä, keyboard player Vili Ollila, and drummer Anssi Nykänen; Roses from the Deep has similarities to Pyre of the Black Heart - but this latest release is much more upbeat and bombastic. There was a darkness and slow-burning organic prog feel to the last album, but this one is much more fun overall - and likely heavier, too, whilst still having a progressive streak and varied songwriting.

There is certainly a quirky side to this album, then, differing from the more straight ahead heavy/power metal which would likely characterise a new Tarot album. There remains a big influence from 1970s prog and the flamboyance of bands like Uriah Heep and Queen - whilst also feeling heavier and hookier than the previous release. All of these elements are summed up during the opening cut Frankenstein's Wife - a real earworm of a track that stood out to me from the off. Ollila's swirling keyboards open the track, before Hietala sings part of the chorus against this sparse backing - creating an atmospheric vibe before the rest of the band crash in with a bouncy, mid-paced guitar riff. The riff is full of classic rock grooves, with the organic drumming of Nykänen grounding everything, but the verses are a little more low key - with Hietala's bass playing providing the main backing, along with a drum groove and a keyboard depth. The song's main riff acts as a heavy bit of punctuation throughout the track, though, whilst the chorus is much more upbeat to match the drive of this riff - with Hietala's playful hooks really lodging the brain whilst Ollila adds some sparkling synth melodies. A brief guitar solo from Wäinölä adds further to the bluesy classic rock vibes of the track, and showcases his prowess, but this is largely a song which is all about its grooves and a chorus which highlights Hietala's songwriting style nicely - which sets the tone for the overall hooky nature of what is to come. There are two duets on this album, and the first of them is Left on Mars - the aforementioned collaboration with Turunen which was previously released. It is nice to see these two former colleagues working together again, particularly given how publicly Turunen was sacked from Nightwish back in 2005, and this song showcases that their voices still work really well together. It does not sound like a throwback to Nightwish's old sound, and the track very much fits in with the groovy, up-tempo vibe of the rest of the album, but Turunen's classically-trained voice certainly adds a symphonic edge to the piece - which Ollila's keyboards reflect. There is certainly more of a sweeping feel to parts of the track, with strings and a larger overall arrangement - but the guitars still feel rooted in muscular classic rock mode and there is little of the kitchen sink approach Nightwish tend to adopt. The riff is backed by some symphonic strings, though, so there is a grandeur to the piece - but generally the arrangement allows both Hietala and Turunen to shine, and their harmonies during the chorus certainly turn the clock back somewhat. Proud Whore opts for a heavier sound following the hooky hard rock of the album's opening and the sweeping second cut - kicking off with a tight mid-paced riff which soon morphs into something slower and more Black Sabbath inspired. Hietala sometimes includes a Black Sabbath cover in his solo shows, so they are clearly a favourite - and the main verses here hark back to 1970s Black Sabbath in quite a big way, with some bluesy, doomy guitar lines the backing for Hietala's slightly more restrained vocal performance. The production here feels quite raw, with the keyboards only joining in around half way through each verse - building towards a more expansive chorus which sees more emotive vocals, chiming guitar melodies, and retro synths. There is a lengthier and busier guitar solo here, too, which features plenty of shredding from Wäinölä - and this helps to elevate the track further, adding to the overall heaviness in contrast to the doomier riffing.

Two Soldiers is the second duet, and the song is an acoustic-led ballad featuring the deep, gothic tones of Juha-Pekka Leppäluoto (Charon; Poisonblack; Northern Kings; Dark Sarah) - whose voice is very different from Hietala's, meaning that the contrast throughout is excellent. The two have worked together in Northern Kings so their harmonies are nothing new, but the dark ballad is a great use for Leppäluoto's talents - with the early part of the song essentially just featuring acoustic guitars and a string backing, which allows both voices to take centre stage. A spoken word section later takes over, with a delicate piano backing, and the track does grow somewhat from this point - with soaring strings and a more expansive piano-led instrumental section. The rest of the band never kick in, though, despite some occasional percussion adding depth - so the track is a pure acoustic number despite the grandeur added by the production and the soaring vocal performances. In contrast, The Dragon Must Die, at just over eight minutes, is the album's longest and most involved piece. It opens with percussive drums and a slightly tribal feel - but as soon as the main guitar riff kicks in the piece feels much more expansive. The melodies here feel somewhat folky, but there is also an Eastern tinge to their overall sound. Hietala's progressive edge is showcased here, as the overall arrangement is quite varied, but there are still plenty of melodies throughout. The chorus, as is generally the case throughout the album, is very memorable, with Hietala's vocal melodies following the folky vibes of the opening riff, but elsewhere there are acoustic-led verses which double down on the folky elements found during the song's melodies - as well as a fast-paced instrumental section which includes raw, metallic riffing and a later sparkling synth solo. There is a lot of variety within the song's eight minutes, then, and the lengthy instrumental section, as well as a bombastic closing portion, showcases both Hietala's songwriting and the tightness of his band (Wäinölä and Ollila also contributed significantly to the album's songwriting). The Devil You Know reins things in somewhat, opening with a folky acoustic guitar pattern and Hietala's expressive vocals, but it remains a song during which quite a lot happens. At first it seems as if it is going to be a simple, acoustic guitar-led piece, and the verses throughout are generally such, but the rest of the band join in for the chorus - which has a bouncy, quirky vibe which somewhat returns to the overall feel of Frankenstein's Wife. Hietala has a knack for witty-sounding vocal melodies and the band know just how to create strong rhythms to bring them to life. Rebel of the North then returns to a more typical hard rock sound - and there is less of the quirk of the past couple of tracks. This does not mean that it is any less melodic, as it remains another very memorable song, but it is more typical in its arrangement than some of the other cuts here - with a more strident classic rock-adjacent chorus and some snaking guitar riffs throughout. It is a much more organic piece, with a constant guitar presence throughout - including some wah-affected guitar during a later bridge section and a bluesy, emotive solo which follows a flashy, 1970s-esque synth solo.

Impatient Zero is another track which opens in a pretty low key manner, with staccato clean guitars and a percussive backing over which Hietala sings in a slightly ridged and unusual way. There is a slight folky feel to this intro, but the overall vibe is a bit off - and it creates an unsettling tone which helps to set the song apart from the rest of the album. This is another song which has quite a breadth of vibes throughout, though, as things get a lot more expansive as the chorus is approached. All the choruses here are memorable, and this one is no different - with snappy hooks that feel very different from the vocal delivery found elsewhere throughout the song and rumbling Hammond organ. There is real bombast to the chorus, and the two main elements of the song feel so different that it is a testament to the band that the transitions feel pretty natural. There is also a lengthy, heavier section later which featured another Black Sabbath-esque riff which forms something of a bridge and also a backing for Wäinölä's busy guitar solo. The track then closes with a great synth solo from Ollila. Tammikuu (Finnish for January) is the album's penultimate track and, unsurprisingly, it is sung in Finnish. Despite this difference, though, the song is very much rooted in the core sound of the album. It is a pretty up-tempo hard rocker - although there is a bit more of a 1980s vibe throughout thanks to Ollila's keyboard sounds. The more organic sound of the rest of the album remains present, with Wäinölä's main guitar riff feeling like a snappy proto-metal piece from the 1970s, but the later shredded guitar solo is more 1980s and high-octane in vibe - whilst the hooky chorus is full of pulsing synths, again from the 1980s. These differences to help to the set the song apart from the crowd, but I do not feel that the differences are so stark as to make the song really stick out in a negative way - and there is enough of the core organic vibe of the rest of the album, with a dose of quirk, to make everything feel very much at home. The album then comes to a close with its title track, which is much of a slower-burning piece overall. Much of the upbeat and quirk of the rest of the album is largely abandoned here -as the song instead feels like a much more conventional and pretty emotive ballad. Acoustic guitars and strings form the basis of the slow and dense verses, with Hietala singing in a less expansive manner - although he still manages to inject plenty of emotion in his delivery, which only increases through a chorus which feels more expansive due to a drum backing and a denser keyboard arrangement. Bluesy guitar leads are thrown in occasionally, which are then expanded upon by Wäinölä during a slow-burning and lengthy guitar solo that further increases the song's emotional weight. Unlike many of the songs here, there are not really any specific twists and turns. The song essentially plays out how it would be expected to, but the strength of the chorus and the overall feel of the song mean that this is not a problem - and the Hammond during the closing moments of the song is a great way for the album to fade out. I enjoyed Pyre of the Black Heart back in 2020, and it grew on me significantly even after reviewing it, but I think that Roses from the Deep is better overall. There is a real focus on melody throughout and the songwriting twists and turns are very much welcome - meaning that this is an album that can do straight forward and complex in equal measure. I can see this album getting a lot of playtime over the next few months and I hope that Hietala brings this band to the UK one day as I would like to hear these songs live.

The album was released on 7th February 2025 via Nuclear Blast Records. Below is Hietala's promotional video for Frankenstein's Wife.