The album was produced by the band alongside Magnus Ax (Swedish Erotica), Axx's father who also collaborated with Motörhead, and Søren Andersen (Kick the Kangaroo; Mike Tramp & The Rock 'n' Roll Circuz; Glenn Hughes). The album is really well produced and the band sound powerful - but there remains a rawness to the overall sound which is necessary for music like this to shine. This is a pretty short album, too, at just over 40 minutes, which is perfect for a sound like this. Kicking off with Too Far Gone, a busy, bluesy riff gets things underway - creating something of a strange, hypnotic feel as some crunchy rhythms join in, only for the riff to change to something more barrelling once the band as a whole crash in. The riffing throughout this album is pretty strong. Axx is the lead player, but Mårdh should also receive credit for his tight rhythms and riffing - which allow Axx to often shine. The verses are barrelling, showcasing a pretty fast-paced approach, whilst the chorus slows things down somewhat - with a heavier version of the opening riff bubbling away beneath the snarling vocals of Nilsson. A screaming, bluesy solo from Axx later builds on some of the melodies heard elsewhere - whilst a percussion-led breakdown is pure Guns N' Roses when it comes to groove. There are hooks aplenty here, and the mix of a strong chorus and plenty of riffing makes the opening really tick. The title track follows, which is one of the bigger sounding pieces here. Peter Keys (Lynyrd Skynyrd) plays the piano throughout - and his bluesy playing is heard throughout, kicking things off with a swaggering piano-led intro that really reminds me of a Use Your Illusion era Guns N' Roses deep cut I cannot quite place my finger on. The song is more of a mid-paced effort compared to the opening number, but there is still a sleazy vibe - as well as something of an anthemic vibe. Aerosmith influences are also on display here, although the guitar playing is generally more high octane - with bluesy interlocking riffs swirling around Keys' ever-present piano playing. The piano gives the song an organic drive, whilst Borg's drumming swings especially hard here - and there is a hooky strut to the mid-paced chorus, which Nilsson nails. The guitar solo is similarly bluesy, but it is more fittingly restrained than the previous effort - which suits the song's mid-paced groove and overall approach nicely. There is a maturity to the song that allows the album to exhibit some variety. Talk or Walk opens with a talk box riff, before a somewhat punky power chord pattern takes over - creating a simple hook before Nilsson starts to sing. That punk vibe remains throughout, and the overall arrangement is pretty simple. The verses are bass-driven, with the guitars often dropping away to add occasional leads here and there - kicking back in for a snappy chorus which utilises the same power chord pattern as the song's intro. This strident guitar riff works nicely as the backing for Nilsson's venomous chorus vocals - whilst the talk box from the song's intro returns during a brief guitar solo. None of the songs here are especially involved, but this is one of the least involved here - allowing the power of the riff to really shine. Adrenaline may have been the song I heard before pre-ordering the album, with the up-tempo single one of the best cuts here. A circular, bluesy riff backs the verses, allowing for that classic swing to settle in nicely, whilst the punch of Borg's drums really shakes the speakers. Juddering riffs elsewhere and an urgency to the verse vocals makes the song sound exciting - but it is the chorus where things shine the brightest. There are hooks throughout the album, but the chorus hooks here may well be the strongest - with the chorus a true anthemic moment made for the stage. A later percussive version only showcases this further.
Can't Go Back in Time feels a bit heavier overall, kicking off with a more metallic riff that fades into view - only for it soon to be doubled when the drums kick in. I said that Nilsson rarely sounds like Rose, but this is one song where he does - as his lower register approach reminds me of the way Rose sings songs like It's So Easy. There are no high-pitched screams here, but the deep delivery is quite Rose-esque at times - and Nilsson's snarl really suits the heavier nature of the song, with the headbanging verses moving along at a groovy mid-pace. The chorus feels a bit brighter, with Nilsson singing in his more typical range - with a little more of a cinematic guitar approach, allowing the song to have a bit of a mix of light and shade. This is a song that has grown on me quite a bit since first hearing the album - and it has become a bit of a favourite over the past month or so. Chains slows things down considerably, opening with some stark acoustic guitars that Nilsson starts to sing over. As much as I like this album, I am not convinced that ballads are Velveteen Queen's strongest suit. In my view, this is one of the weakest efforts here. Nilsson sings the song well, but the guitars in the background sound quite ham-fisted. Both Axx and Mårdh are clearly great guitarists, but they seem to lack the subtlety required for stark acoustic parts. Funnily enough, there is a section later in the song where they do exercise a bit of restraint, but the way the acoustic guitars are attacked throughout the song is quite distracting - and some more delicate playing throughout would have definitely improved things in my view, and would have been a much better backing for what is quite a decent vocal performance. It Ain't Over gets the band back to doing something more typical of their core sound. The acoustic guitars are thankfully cast aside here, with the band instead back to rocking out - with a descending, bluesy riff opening things up at pace. This is quite an energetic song overall, and it is another with some punky influences here and there. Fall's bass drives the verses, with the guitars somewhat dropping away again - although mini versions of the opening riff and the occasional lead at colour. Despite this punk drive during the verses, there remains a smoothness throughout thanks to a slightly poppier vocal delivery from Nilsson - which he expands on during the chorus. There is a slight AOR edge to the chorus in my view, with more of an overtly melodic feel - even if the bluesy base remains thanks to the guitar riffing. This is a song all about hooks, then, and it is another that has stuck with me quite considerably since first hearing the album. Liar is another that opens with a heavier riff - with police sirens also filling the speakers and creating a bit of a discordant sound. In many ways, this song feels like a bit of a sibling piece to Can't Go Back in Time. The tone of the riffing is quite similar, which gives the song a real kick from the off - whilst Nilsson often again utilises the lower end of his register to fit in with the overall heaviness. Fall gets in on the act this time, though, with a strong bass presence throughout that only adds to the heaviness. He powers through the verses nicely, adding plenty of weight, whilst the chorus is suitably more melodic - with a lighter tone, urgent, snappy vocals, and a busy guitar underpinning. A bridge section sees Nilsson doing his best Rose impression again briefly, which then launches into another tasty guitar solo. On an album of largely strong cuts, this is another overall highlight for me - and I like the darker edge to the riffing that Velveteen Queen sometimes come up with to keep things interesting.
Best of the Best opens with possibly the most Slash-like riff on the album. Slash has such an identifiable style that when people ae trying to ape him it is very obvious - and that is certainly the case here. The Slash worship is no bad thing, though, as Velveteen Queen are very good at that kind of high-octane, bluesy riffing - but sadly the rest of the song does not really live up to the promise of the riff. Nilsson's vocal melodies are generally excellent throughout this album - but they feel a bit awkward this time around. The chorus feels a bit forced in terms of the overall melodies and some call-and-response vocals - and there are some sections throughout the song where it almost feels as if the melodies and rhythm of the vocals do not really fit with the main song. Despite some strong riffing, then, the song is one of the weaker cuts here in my view. It lacks the anthemic hooks that the band are usually so good at to make the song stick - and the song is one overall that probably could have done with a bit more refinement in the studio. The band return to ballad mode for Sorry. It is not a song that totally changes my view on Velveteen Queen as a writer of ballads, but it is certainly a better song overall than Chains. It helps that the acoustic guitars are not the most prominent instrument this time. They are there in the background, being quietly strummed, but the main guitar melodies come from an electric guitar - so there is certainly more subtlety on show this time. This allows a more emotive sound to settle in, especially thanks to some subtle keyboards in the background and a slow-burning bluesy solo, whilst Nilsson does a decent job vocally. The chorus is quite memorable, and I do like the guitar solo section - but Velveteen Queen really are a band that just need to rock out. I know that bands love their ballads and getting all emotional, but not all are built for it - and, on the evidence of the two ballads here, I would prefer it if Velveteen Queen just focused on what they do best going forward. If they do feel the need to slow things down again, then more songs like the brooding title track would certainly be welcome. The album then comes to a close with Try (To Believe Me), a swinging, mid-paced hard rocker that is very much within the band's wheelhouse. It might not be one of the best examples of this sound here, especially as some of the chord progressions have a bit of an unintentional Status Quo feel to them, and the riffing is perhaps less clever here than it sometimes is, but there remains something pleasing about the overall strut and the somewhat more primal, in-your-face feel of some of the riffing and grooves. The song certainly feels more stripped back and primitive, until the strangely atmospheric bridge section that is, but the harder rock moments feel more deliberate following the previous ballad - and the song does allow some crunch and rawness to take over as the album closes out. There is a case to be made that the album does run out of steam towards the end, with the final three songs being on the weaker side, but the best material here is very enjoyable and of a high quality. I really like the band's overall sound and attitude - and I imagine that they would be excellent live. Hopefully they make it over to the UK at some point so that I can catch them - and I will try and track down copies of their earlier work, too. There is room for improvement here, such as losing the ballads and just tightening things up here and there, but overall the band is on a strong trajectory in my view - and I look forward to see where things go from here.
The album was released on 18th September 2026 via Silver Lining Music. Below is the band's promotional video for Adrenaline.
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