HelloAngel
ONE love, blood, life
[SIMG]http://forum.interference.com/gallery/data//585/11265damone-sml.jpg[/SIMG]
By Kimberly Egolf
2007.1
Boston rockers Damone have been through a lot that would make a lesser band crumble: an overlooked first release, loss of their guitarist and songwriter, changing record labels, the near-death experience of their bassist, Vazquez… the list could continue. But Damone are thankful for their trials. “In hindsight,” says drummer Dustin Hengst, “it really brought us together musically and emotionally.” And resulted in some genuinely awesome rock music.
Their sophomore album “Out Here All Night” contains rock like you’ve not heard since the ‘80s. Don’t worry. Damone aren’t bringing back big hair or spandex. What they are bringing back is what kicked ass about ‘80s music: power chords, killer guitar solos, manic drumming, driving bass lines. But Damone sprinkle their own special something into the tried-and-true rock mix: female singer Noelle’s vocals soar, at times almost sweetly, over the hard-rock chords and beats of her bandmates.
Don’t let her sweetness fool you; this is a woman who can rock with the best of them. On the album’s title track, “Out Here All Night,” she proves that she can pack a punch. And she is determined to drag you into the fight as well. Practically every song features a chorus you will find yourself singing whether you want to or not. Just try to resist chanting “Give us what we came here for!” when listening to “What We Came Here For.”
And try to resist playing air guitar while listening to this album. Go ahead, try. Mike Woods shines on lead guitar in songs like “Now Is the Time” and “Get Up and Go.” He is certainly primed to become this generation’s Slash.
All of the best elements of Damone seem to converge in the rebellious anthem “Outta My Way,” one of the standout tracks on the record. This jam is guaranteed to get the party started and to keep it going long into the night. A silly little mid-song sketch provides a helluva lot of campy fun.
Perhaps the most surprising track is the last one. “Wasted Years” is a bittersweet ballad that features some incredible acoustic guitar work with a flamenco feel. Noelle is also at her best vocally on this song. This sound is quite different than the rest of the album and shows how diverse this band’s talents really are.
“What we do is a celebration of what we like about big rock ‘n’ roll,” says drummer Hengst. There is nothing particularly new in their sound, but the band revel in the fact that they aren’t attempting to reinvent the wheel, they aren’t creating sounds that have never been heard before. They are simply attempting to rock you. So raise your rock fingers to the sky, tune up your air guitar, and give in to the nostalgic goodness of Damone.
For more information on Damone, visit the official website or MySpace page. “Out Here All Night” was released in 2006 on Island Records.
By Kimberly Egolf
2007.1
Boston rockers Damone have been through a lot that would make a lesser band crumble: an overlooked first release, loss of their guitarist and songwriter, changing record labels, the near-death experience of their bassist, Vazquez… the list could continue. But Damone are thankful for their trials. “In hindsight,” says drummer Dustin Hengst, “it really brought us together musically and emotionally.” And resulted in some genuinely awesome rock music.
Their sophomore album “Out Here All Night” contains rock like you’ve not heard since the ‘80s. Don’t worry. Damone aren’t bringing back big hair or spandex. What they are bringing back is what kicked ass about ‘80s music: power chords, killer guitar solos, manic drumming, driving bass lines. But Damone sprinkle their own special something into the tried-and-true rock mix: female singer Noelle’s vocals soar, at times almost sweetly, over the hard-rock chords and beats of her bandmates.
Don’t let her sweetness fool you; this is a woman who can rock with the best of them. On the album’s title track, “Out Here All Night,” she proves that she can pack a punch. And she is determined to drag you into the fight as well. Practically every song features a chorus you will find yourself singing whether you want to or not. Just try to resist chanting “Give us what we came here for!” when listening to “What We Came Here For.”
And try to resist playing air guitar while listening to this album. Go ahead, try. Mike Woods shines on lead guitar in songs like “Now Is the Time” and “Get Up and Go.” He is certainly primed to become this generation’s Slash.
All of the best elements of Damone seem to converge in the rebellious anthem “Outta My Way,” one of the standout tracks on the record. This jam is guaranteed to get the party started and to keep it going long into the night. A silly little mid-song sketch provides a helluva lot of campy fun.
Perhaps the most surprising track is the last one. “Wasted Years” is a bittersweet ballad that features some incredible acoustic guitar work with a flamenco feel. Noelle is also at her best vocally on this song. This sound is quite different than the rest of the album and shows how diverse this band’s talents really are.
“What we do is a celebration of what we like about big rock ‘n’ roll,” says drummer Hengst. There is nothing particularly new in their sound, but the band revel in the fact that they aren’t attempting to reinvent the wheel, they aren’t creating sounds that have never been heard before. They are simply attempting to rock you. So raise your rock fingers to the sky, tune up your air guitar, and give in to the nostalgic goodness of Damone.
For more information on Damone, visit the official website or MySpace page. “Out Here All Night” was released in 2006 on Island Records.
