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Phoenix
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Phoenix |
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| The Gems are a hard rock band from Sweden formed in 2023 by three ex-members of fellow Swedish rockers Thundermother - singer Guernica Mancini, drummer Emlee Johansson and guitarist/bassist Mona Lindgren. The band wasted no time in launching their career, releasing an incredible five singles in just six months - 'Like A Phoenix', 'Send Me To The Wolves', 'P.S.Y.C.H.O', 'Undiscovered Paths'. and 'Fruits Of My Labor'... | ||||||
| ...every one a stunning slice of hard rock! And as each single dropped, The Gems whetted the appetite of every rocker (and metalhead) around the world for the bands debut album 'Phoenix' - surely one of the most hotly anticipated albums of the year! The year 2024 that is - 'cause if you thought 2023 was a sparkling year for The Gems, this year is gonna glow brighter than the display counter at luxury jewellery retailer Goldsmiths! So let's wipe away the dribble... | ||||||
| ...and dive headlong into the new album, opening with the first of three short interludes - 'Aurora' a minute and a half effects laden and eerie beginning with the stunning voice of Guernica taking centre stage. And if you listen carefully to the lyrics, empowering or what! And then with a bombastic bish bash bosh, the new queens of rock break loose with the fast paced and very hard hitting 'Queens'. The swagger right from the off is incredible, the band powering on with an irresistible and infectious brand of hard rock - everything The Gems have released over the last six months leading up to this point! A point that has not disappointed, the album moving on with 'Send Me To The Wolves', featuring a level of oomph higher than the Kebnekaise massif! The powerful, bluesy, sassy and sensual voice of Guernica proves once and for all that she's one of the finest rock singers around at the moment - if not the finest! 'Send Me To The Wolves' packs a devastating punch, slamming listeners to the floor with a tremendous amount of force. | ||||||
| Force that remains in err, force, as 'Phoenix' storms on with the heavy blues rock led 'Domino' - and a touch of the legendary AC/DC boogie. The Gems are loud and proud here, punching their way across the land, shuddering the ground and shaking buildings to their foundations! And the chant style chorus is gonna be lapped up by everyone everywhere, with screams of "domino" shattering the airways - I tell ya readers, should The Gems play 'Domino' live, it's gonna lift the fucking roof right off! Pace quickens for 'Silver Tongue', the band adopting the iconic gallop of traditional heavy metal - but staying firmly put in hard rock territory! 'Silver Tongue' is one of those glorious songs that breaks down borders, hopping genres to attract a very wide audience - an audience of both rockers and metalheads. And I just have to mention Guernica's vocal performance once again - phenomenal! Displaying a more modern approach to rock, 'Undiscovered Paths' rips up the rock rule book! Dealing with ones decisions at a crossroads in life with regards to which path to take, 'Undiscovered Paths', and The Gems, make another deep and meaningful statement. | ||||||
| And in fact, deep and meaningful statements are littered all across the album, the band making an emphatic entrance into the world of rock with some fairly profound songs - each and every one showcasing the bands terrific attitude and desire to win against all odds. The second interlude 'Maria's Song', is a minute and a bit instrumental filled with tension and a crescendo building atmosphere, leading to 'Ease Your Pain' and an OMG vocal performance! The band are at their mellowest here though, delivering a power ballad with so much reined in energy, that if it all broke loose would ooze a gravitational field greater than a black hole! The pull of The Gems is simply incredible, with every rock fan on the planet drawn to the Swedish rockers like iron to a magnet - err, hang on a mo! If The Gems are like a magnet, and magnets attract iron, then it's no wonder I'm so attracted to the band - after all, my nickname is "Iron" Mathew! With 'Phoenix' fully up and running now, the album gallops on with the fiery 'Running', punching harder than any other song heard so far. The sheer weight of the punches thrown by 'Running' would easily flatten any world champion boxer in the world - any division, present or past! | ||||||
| The third (and final) interlude 'Renaissance', is a thirty second bubbly and bouncy jaunt that leads straight into the first single released by the band 'Like A Phoenix' - a jaw dropping and superb heavy hitting slab of hard rock. Full of energy, pizzazz and infectious to the max, 'Like A Phoenix' shows The Gems in the brightest light ever, free from the shackles of what the band members former employer was expecting (or demanding) of them! Guernica, Emlee and Mona are raising the hard rock bar to a whole new level, 'Like A Phoenix' "all about getting up when you've been pushed down, not letting the negative words of others define you" comments the band. And just like the Phoenix in Greek mythology, The Gems have risen from the ashes to become a greater and much better band, thoroughly enjoying their new lease of life - 'P.S.Y.C.H.O' (and the accompanying video) showing just how much. The band are having a ball, and a laugh - and why not? The Gems are on the crest of wave, riding it tall and proud like a champion surfer - 'P.S.Y.C.H.O' a hard driving harder hitting anthem that's surely gonna become a fan favourite! | ||||||
| The upturn in pace and oomph across the previous two songs has been incredible, the band hitting the brakes hard to bring a bluesy Southern rock swagger to the fore - 'Kiss It Goodbye' a punchy pavement pounding parade of pure power! The Gems are on fucking fire, seamlessly changing tempo and feel, switching styles without dropping the intensity to deliver a barrage of hard rock that's gonna propel the band to the forefront of the worldwide rock scene. The Gems (and 'Phoenix') are setting the standard for every rock band to follow, the Swedish rockers a force of nature that just can't be tamed - but then why would you want to when the music on offer is this fucking good! Electrifying pace lights up the album brighter than ever as 'Force Of Nature' takes flight, battering every listener with a force greater than an electromagnet! And for the second time, 'Phoenix' offers one of those glorious songs that breaks down borders, hopping genres to attract both rockers and metalheads! Bringing the album to a close, 'Fruits Of My Labor' is a heavy hitting mid tempo bluesy stroll that rounds off a stunning album - and if you only buy one album this year, make sure it's 'Phoenix' by Swedish rock sensation The Gems. You won't be disappointed. | ||||||
| Overall, a superb hard rocking album with masses of energy and panache, 'Phoenix' is power driven rock with an immense infectious level. | ||||||
| Review by Iron Mathew Collins | ||||||
| Other Reviews | ||||||
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| Like A Phoenix (single) | ||||||
| "a jaw dropping and superb heavy hitting slice of hard rock, full of energy, pizzazz and infectious to the max" Read Review | ||||||
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| Send Me To The Wolves (single) | ||||||
| "a barnstorming barrage of energetic hard rock from one of the hottest rock bands around right now" Read Review | ||||||
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| P.S.Y.C.H.O (single) | ||||||
| "a hard driving, hard rocking romp of thoroughly enjoyable and infectious hard rock" Read Review | ||||||
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| Undiscovered Paths (single) | ||||||
| "an infectious and heavy hitting slab of rock, 'Undiscovered Paths' is a continuation of The Gems roaring brand of hard rock music" Read Review | ||||||
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| Fruits Of My Labor (single) | ||||||
| "a heavy hitting mid tempo bluesy stroll, 'Fruits Of My Labor' is a mesmerising slab of hard rock" Read Review | ||||||
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