Reivew - Halestorm - The Strange Case Of . . .

Halestorm’s second album, The Strange Case Of . . . is an absolutely essential listen, which was predicted following on from the release of their 4 track teaser EP earlier in the year, which at the time, hinted at something very special.

Not even the most die-hard of fans though could have expected that their sophomore cut would be this spectacular. I knew it was going to be something very special, but to say that this is a special album simply would not do it the justice it deserves.

It is one of the finest records likely to be released all year, or in any year for that matter, and although it is something of a cliché to say it is hit after hit, that is exactly what it is. 

There is simply not a bad track on The Strange Case Of . . . and proves that Halestorm’s endless touring in support of their excellent debut really paid off and turned them into a juggernaut of a rock band in the process.

Lead singer Lzzy Hale is incomparable; she has one of the best voices in the game right now, and she puts her unmistakable mark on all 12 tracks on offer here. She is a superstar, and her comrades are no slackers either, putting in a simply enormous shift throughout this album.

All four tracks from the EP return (Love Bites (So Do I), Daughters of Darkness, The Rock Show and Here’s To Us), and they were pretty flawless to start with. Add in the likes of Mz Hyde, boasting one of the finest riffs in recent memory, an enormous performance on I Miss The Misery, and some excellent guitarwork on the likes of Freak Like Me and You Call Me A Bitch Like It’s A Bad Thing, this is a record jam packed with pure quality. It rocks hard in places, but that doesn’t mean that the band are at all one-dimensional.  

In fact, the centre point of the record comes in the form of three enormo-ballads which fit perfectly alongside album closing Here’s To Us, and must surely mean Halestorm have penned four of the greatest and most moving rock ballads in recent time all on one album. Beautiful With You, In Your Room and a fragile piano driven Break In are all awe-inspiring displays of musicianship, and shows Lzzy Hale at her most emotive and delicate, her powerful voice doing justice to some beautifully crafted songs. These three tracks in particular are the perfect accompaniment to the previously released Here’s To Us and acts as the perfect ying to the hard rocking numbers yang.

Throughout The Strange Case Of . . . there is great use of light and shade, and immense diversity, making this one of the most definitive rock albums of the last year, and one that is easily set to make many an end of year highlight list come the close of 2012.

Stunning.

10/10