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The Revenge Of Rock

    
       
       
       
     
             
Kickin Valentina are a hard rock band from the USA formed in 2013 releasing their self titled E.P. later the same year. In 2015, the band released their debut full length album 'Super Atomic'. The band then toured the US in support of the album and in 2016 embarked on a European tour. 2017 saw the release of the bands sophomore album 'Imaginary Creatures'. A second E.P. 'Chaos In Copenhagen' was released in 2019, with the bands third album 'The Revenge Of Rock' a 2021 release.    
             
Armed with a new singer, American hard rock sensation Kickin Valentina are back, and rocking the party rock anthem vibe harder than ever. With a sound harking back to the era when Bon Jovi were giving love a bad name, Van Halen were jumping, Kix were blowing their fuse, and Slaughter were up all night and partying every day, 'The Revenge Of Rock' is a fabulous slice of fun. And for forty cracking minutes, you can put all your troubles aside, and enjoy hearty hard rock the way it's meant to be. Opening with the heavy hitting 'Freak Show', Kickin Valentina are quickly into their stride, rocking hard with a huge grin on their faces. For this is smile inducing infectious hard rock of the most addictive nature. And straight out of the eighties big hair, big riffs, and even bigger (over the top) stage shows heyday, comes 'Somebody New'. The entire song resonates with eighties stadium rock, bringing a massive feel of the classic AOR sound. 'Somebody New' will appeal not only to hard rock fans, but fans of all styles of rock. Picking up the pace and rocking hard, 'Rat Race' is a thumping, dare I say it, AC/DC styled boogie. The amount of foot stomping that'll accompany 'Rat Race' is gonna do some serious damage to floors the world over, and really annoy neighbours that live downstairs!    
             
'Strange' mixes AOR with the classic hard rock sound to produce a thumping mid tempo march. The variation of rock across the albums first half has been incredible, with Kickin Valentina kickin' ass harder than ever before. And aw man, even the sleaze rock style gets a look in! 'Lookin' For Me' is pure sleaze rock from the era of Ratt, Cinderella, and Bach-era Skid Row. The bands new singer has slotted in perfectly, with his raspy vocal style a perfect match for the Kickin Valentina signature sound. Stepping over the boundary into the Southern Rock genre, 'War' even has sprinklings of the stoner rock style too. Kickin Valentina are delivering a great mix of rock with their third album. It may surprise a few of their existing fans, but it's gonna attract so many new ones. And now it's time for the lighters to be raised high, as 'Heart Tattoo' strolls in and proceeds to march majestically through power ballad territory. And when I say march, the band are maybe marching too hard for 'Heart Tattoo' to remain a power ballad. But whatever your view, 'Heart Tattoo' is a cracking slow dancer for lovers.    
             
Picking up the whole eighties party rock anthem vibe, 'End Of The Road' is an energising and pulsating slab of fun hard rock. And fun is what this style of rock is all about - fun which sadly goes missing from time to time as fads and fashions change. But the hard rock legacy that began back in the eighties will live on forever, especially with bands like Kickin Valentina - who pay the "rock 'n' roll heroes of our past" the greatest homage with the final song 'The Revenge Of Rock'. Not only is it an energetic and up beat fast and fiery romp, but just take a look at the heroes that get a mention - "Priest, Maiden and Crue , AC/DC, Sabbath and Zep, GNR and Aerosmith, the Scorps, Kiss and The Who, Van Halen and Ratt, The Fab Four, The King, the Rolling Stones and Bruce Springsteen" - almost a who's who in the history and evolution of rock 'n' roll. What a glorious way to end a glorious album of hard hitting hard rock.    
             
Overall, a heavy hitting, party rock anthem filled album from a band very much on top of their game - 'The Revenge Of Rock' is a belter.    
             
             
Review by Iron Mathew Collins    
             
Reviewed for Metal Gods TV    
             
             
Other Reviews    
             

           
           
Imaginary Creatures      
           
"energetic and electrifying hard rock fused with old school glam rock, this is an anthemic party rock album of addictive and infectious groove" Read Review      
     
     
     
           
             
             

           
           
Star Spangled Fist Fight      
           
"a highly energetic and immensely infectious slab of heavy hitting hard come sleaze come party rock, 'Star Spangled Fist Fight' is an anthemic belter" Read Review      
     
     
     
           
             
             
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