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Don't Try This At Home

    
       
       
       
     
             
Sister Switchblade are a hard rock band from Australia formed in 2017 by vocalist/rhythm guitarist Andy Smith following the dissolution of his previous band Babyjane - Smith's new band Sister Switchblade releasing three albums to date - 'Best Served Cold' (2017), 'Tales And Taboo's' (2019), and 'Don't Try This At Home' (2024).    
             
Described as a "blend of eighties Sunset Strip meets classic Australian pub rock with a splash of seventies punk rock", Sister Switchblade come barrelling outta Perth with a mighty rock swagger, punching hard and kicking harder with twelve bombastic and highly infectious songs to get the pulses racing and adrenaline flowing of everyone from Australia to here and back...    
             
...the bands uncompromising brand of rock hitting hard with the (albums) opening gambit 'The Gloves Are Off'. The band are pounding the ground with a blend of Southern and hard rock - imagine a coming together of Aerosmith and Mötley Crüe to cover Whitesnake songs, and you'll have some idea of the Sister Switchblade sound, the band striding on with a little more sleaze courtesy of 'Get Down And Stay Down', the bombastic nature of the rock on show pulsing outta the album - an album that marches on with the much heavier 'I Smell A Rat'. Sister Switchblade are striding all over hard rock territory to deliver an infectious barrage of addictive rock, holding listeners attentions tightly and not letting 'em go!    
             
The band have breezed through the first few songs on offer at a canter, the catchiness of every song heard so far keeping everyone hooked on the Aussie rockers, 'Dead To Me' entering the fray with a more nineties feel than everything heard so far, the band broadening their musical horizons to capture another generation of fans - the bands fans already spanning three, maybe four generations! Sister Switchblade have a very deep locker with an immense range of rock to draw upon, '24 Hours In The Hole' bouncing into view with more pace and purpose, the band dipping a toe into metal territory to peak the interest of heavy metallers too, 'Like Dominos' the first song out of the albums first six to breach the four minute mark! 'Don't Try This At Home' has been non-stop since it began, the high number of shorter songs keeping the album moving along quickly with no chance for a breather, 'Like Dominos' probably the most infectious, catchy and sing a long-able heard so far!    
             
And as the album moves into its second half, Sister Switchblade keep the hammer down and don't slow down as 'Electric Angel' roars off at high speed to become the fastest song on offer so far, the band oozing the iconic "gallop" of traditional heavy metal! This is one song that is highly head bang-able, both rockers and metallers rocking their heads back and forth to 'Electric Angel', the Australian band widening their audience to its widest yet! The recent upsurge in energy and oomph has been emphatic, and is in no danger of going away any time soon, a mighty thunder stomp shuddering the ground as 'Finger On The Trigger' lurches forth to bulldoze everything outta the way, Sister Switchblade maintaining a heavy hitting punchy nature to warn everyone, don't tell us what to do! For the band are doing it their own way, and very well too, 'Don't Tell Me What To Do' a loud, proud and brash rocker with more attitude than all the previous eight songs put together! The up front and in you face display here is kinda surprising, I for one certainly didn't expect it - did you?    
             
And with only a couple of songs remaining, Sister Switchblade continue to rock hard, the bands energy level not dropping a single ounce, 'What A Way To Go' a majestic mid tempo march of pure elegance, the band striding taller and prouder than at any other time previously! Now what's amazing here is, there isn't even a ballad on offer - and while not unusual it's kind of expected on a rock album! Not that I'm complaining, let's keep the hard rock coming - which the band do with added weight, 'Something Wicked' the punchiest song on 'Don't Try This At Home'. Sister Switchblade have kept the rock flowing freely all album long, the band ending the album with an acoustic version of the Babyjane classic 'Are You Listening'.    
             
Overall, a hard rocking, punchy, infectious and catchy album of all out rock that'll hold your attention from start to finish.    
             
             
Review by Iron Mathew Collins    
             
Reviewed for Metal-Roos    
             
             
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