Kickin Valentina – ‘Anthems From The Underground’

(Mighty Music)

There are some albums that politely ask you to turn the volume up, and then there are albums that grab you by the throat, kick open the door and demand to be played at maximum volume. Kickin Valentina’s Anthems From The Underground most definitely belongs in the second category. This is loud, dirty, swaggering, fist-pumping rock ‘n’ roll with attitude pouring from every speaker. It doesn’t apologise, it doesn’t ask permission and, frankly, it doesn’t give a damn whether you’re ready for it. This is sleaze rock in its most gloriously entertaining form.

From the opening moments, Anthems From The Underground feels like a band that knows exactly what it wants to deliver. There is a rawness and immediacy here that makes the whole album feel alive. The guitars are loud, gritty and full of attitude, the rhythm section drives everything forward with a beautifully relentless pulse, and the melodies are infectious enough to have you singing along before you’ve even realised you’ve learned the words. And that is perhaps the biggest strength of this album: the hooks.

Kickin Valentina understand that great rock ‘n’ roll doesn’t need to be complicated. Sometimes all you need is a killer riff, a massive chorus, a pounding beat and enough attitude to shake the foundations. Anthems From The Underground has those ingredients in abundance. The choruses are designed for raised fists, shouted responses and packed venues where the audience becomes part of the performance. You can practically hear the crowd joining in.

There is also a wonderful sense of fun running through the album. Sleaze rock can occasionally take itself far too seriously, but Kickin Valentina seem to understand that rock ‘n’ roll should make you feel something. It should make you smile. It should make you want to get off your backside, turn the speakers up and cause a little bit of trouble. Anthems From The Underground has that spirit running through its veins.

The production gives the band plenty of muscle without stripping away the rough edges that make this style so enjoyable. The guitars have bite and crunch, while the drums hit with real authority. Everything feels suitably big without becoming overly polished. There is still dirt underneath the fingernails, and that is exactly what I want from a record like this. Give me some grit, some swagger and a little danger over something that has been polished until every ounce of personality has disappeared.

Vocally, D.K. Revelle has the kind of attitude required to make this material work. This isn't about standing at the microphone and delivering technically perfect performances for the sake of it. It's about character. It's about swagger. It's about sounding like you believe every word you're singing. His vocals sit perfectly within the band's sleazy, hard-driving sound, adding another layer of personality to an album that already has plenty of it.

What I particularly enjoy is the balance between heaviness and melody. Anthems From The Underground can hit hard when it needs to, but it never loses sight of the importance of a memorable tune. That makes the album incredibly accessible without ever becoming lightweight. There is plenty here for the dyed-in-the-wool sleaze rock fan, but the songwriting has enough melodic punch to appeal well beyond the genre's traditional boundaries.

The Eighties and early Nineties influence is obvious, but this doesn't feel like a nostalgia exercise. Kickin Valentina take the attitude and spirit of classic sleaze rock and give it a modern injection of energy. The result is something that feels familiar without sounding like a carbon copy of the past. It has the leather-jacket swagger, the big guitars and the rebellious attitude, but there is enough contemporary muscle to make it feel right for today.

And then there are those moments when everything comes together and the album simply rocks. That is ultimately what Anthems From The Underground is about. It isn't trying to change the world. It isn't pretending to be something it isn't. It wants to entertain, and it does that exceptionally well.

This is music for the open road, the Friday night, the crowded bar, the festival field and those moments when life simply requires a little more volume. It is music for raising a fist in the air and shouting along with a chorus. It is music that makes you want to turn the stereo up another notch even when you probably shouldn't.

I love albums that wear their intentions proudly, and Kickin Valentina have absolutely no interest in hiding what they are about. Anthems From The Underground is loud, energetic, melodic and gloriously unapologetic. There is enough grit to keep the rockers happy, enough melody to keep the AOR crowd interested and enough attitude to make sure nobody forgets who they're listening to.

In a musical world where sometimes everything feels overly calculated, there is something wonderfully refreshing about an album that simply wants to rock your bloody socks off. Anthems From The Underground isn't background music. It is an invitation. Turn it up. Raise your fist. And let Kickin Valentina do what they do best. Rock ‘n’ roll.

‘Generation Timebomb’, a seriously explosive way to get things moving. The guitars come out swinging, the rhythm section hits hard and the whole thing has that dirty, rebellious swagger that sleaze rock does so well. There’s attitude everywhere, with a chorus that practically demands a raised fist and a shouted response. A proper statement of intent.

‘Dance Of Destruction’, the title says it all. This is energetic, infectious rock ‘n’ roll with enough grit and groove to keep the head nodding and the feet moving. The guitars have plenty of bite, while the hooks give the song an instantly accessible quality. It’s chaotic in the best possible way.

‘Rock N Roll Casualty’, a big, swaggering rocker that wears its influences proudly while still sounding fresh. The riffing has plenty of muscle, and there’s a real sense of danger lurking beneath the melody. It captures that classic sleaze-rock combination of attitude and catchiness beautifully.

‘Don’t Be Mad’, here we get another dose of infectious songwriting, with the band finding plenty of room for melody without sacrificing the raw edge. The rhythm drives everything along, while the vocals add plenty of character. This is the sort of song that gets stuck in your head after one listen.

‘Silver Moon’, a slightly more melodic shade of Kickin Valentina comes through here, allowing the songwriting to breathe while retaining that unmistakable rock ‘n’ roll attitude. The guitars still have plenty of crunch, but there’s a more atmospheric quality running underneath. A great change of pace.

‘Dog Fight’, back to the heavier side of the band's personality, with guitars that hit with real force. There’s a dangerous, streetwise quality here, and the groove is impossible to ignore. It feels built for a sweaty club packed with people throwing themselves around to the music.

‘Good Time Bad Guys’, pure rock ‘n’ roll attitude. This is the kind of number that sounds like it was written for late nights, loud bars and questionable decisions. The hooks are infectious, the guitars swagger and the whole thing has an irresistible sense of fun.

‘Overdose On Cloud 9’, a wonderfully catchy slice of melodic sleaze rock. There’s plenty of energy, but also a lighter, more upbeat quality that makes it particularly addictive. It’s the sort of song that leaves you grinning while simultaneously reaching for the volume control.

‘Bulletproof Sound’, the title couldn't be more appropriate. This is big, tough and unapologetic, with guitars that sound built to withstand anything thrown at them. The rhythm section provides plenty of punch, while the chorus delivers another fist-pumping moment.

‘Just Like A Movie’, a fitting finale that brings the album home with plenty of style. It has the melody, attitude and swagger that define the record, while leaving you with the feeling that you've just watched one hell of a rock ‘n’ roll show. Roll credits, but definitely don't switch the stereo off.

Anthems From The Underground is exactly what I want from a great sleaze-rock record: loud guitars, filthy riffs, huge choruses, attitude by the bucketload and enough energy to power a small town. Kickin Valentina have delivered an album that never loses sight of what makes rock ‘n’ roll so much fun. It’s gritty without being gloomy, melodic without becoming polished and energetic from beginning to end. The songwriting is packed with hooks, the performances ooze confidence, and the whole thing has that irresistible “turn it up!” quality.

This is an album built for raised fists, leather jackets, late nights and speakers pushed way beyond sensible levels. If you like your rock loud, dirty, melodic and overflowing with swagger, Kickin Valentina have got you covered.

Turn it up. Play it loud. Rock it hard.

7/10

Essential Track – ‘Don’t Be Mad’

Review by Woody