Adrenaline 101 - 'Demons In The Closet'

Raunchy: That's how Swiss rockers Adrenaline 101 are described.

Raunchy: vulgar or smutty. See also; outmoded, referred to Tina Turner and Madonna.

Raunchy. That's how Swiss rockers Adrenaline 101 are described. Four young men with a second album to promote. Adrenaline is one thing. Raunch is quite a Grandma-baiting other. What they actually do is lasso the US chart Metal quiet verse, loud chorus sound which is, to use the vernacular, as prevalent as shit in a field. If this were all, disdainful detachment would be enough. But it isn't. These Swiss scenesters play it cute, adding unexpected moments to keep the interest up. For instance, the titled opener is a veritable monster, cowbell intact, grooving well, with a soft centre and a raucous riff, but 'Come To You' is almost pop rock, with a skittish feel and some barely perceptible scratches. Delon Cyclon tells us he's "drinking whiskey out of the bottle like it's H2O" on 'Buckwild' and in a song as sleazy and cheesy as this, he'd better - it's a surprising Melodic Rock treat.

They do of course look at what they've done and fret that there are no money spinners, which causes them to settle into cosy contemplative rock a la Daughtry and Nickelback, acoustic to the fore, soppy chorus, all the usual. This happens rather too often.



The ace up the Adrenaline sleeve? Rap Rock. Yes, that old staple, the red-hatted, big tatted, vest-wearing early 2000 staple. Don't worry; this is not Crazy Town or Sugar Ray - although they had their place, in the stocks if many Metallers are to be believed. Consider a paradigm shift and those bands had air, could groove, showed power and that's what happens here. Closer 'No Tomorrow' goes for it wholeheartedly, no irony but some big rough rapping and spaghetti western guitars; it really adds raised eyebrows.

Adrenaline 101 are a band struggling to find their sound, fighting to be all things to many people and almost falling between a shop window of stools. That's one way of looking at it. The other way is to see a band who mix it up, confound your expectations but still want to get paid, dammit!

Demons still firmly among the coat-hangers, but that door is creaking open...

Steve Swift