Self-proclaimed ‘high octane rock ‘n rollers’ Wasted Sinners debut album ‘Unleashed & Dangerous’ arrives with not so much of a growl, but more of a whimper, delivering a frankly underwhelming brand of ‘classic rock’ that aspires be to everything Guns N Roses and Mötley Crüe once were at the height of their popularity, but ends up being a weak tribute when it could have been a nostalgic throwback. The latter mentioned influence has been oddly spelt ‘Motley Crew’ on much of Wasted Sinners’ press, which suggests to me that they aren’t so much die-hard fans of the genre they hold a candle for, but more a group of wannabes riding the coattails of modern day glam-rock/metal virtuosos Steel Panther, throwing in buzzwords where appropriate to appear genuinely ‘unleashed and dangerous’. Let this band out of their cage and fortunately the only injury they’ll be able to cause is a mild skin abrasion, because without wanting to beat around the bush, they’re about as dangerous as a newborn baby would be with a pair of nun-chucks.
With the members sporting personas such as ‘Roxx Hydi’, ‘Gary Dainty’, ‘Dude Rock’ and Pete Sin’, I just can’t take them seriously in this day and age (unless they’re some sort of parody act, which unfortunately they’re not). Call me narrow minded, but I am of the opinion that unless your band are legendary and/or technically astounding (which Wasted Sinners are neither of), you do not have the right to have a made-up onstage persona, particularly something as ridiculously obvious as ‘Dude Rock’. I mean, seriously?
The album opens with the ironically named ‘Fakeness’, beginning with a flurry of drums and a marching verse with, the chords being used quite easily fitting into the classic rock groove. Think Deep Purple or Thin Lizzy, but strip away the personality and this is what you are left with. The jams are decently executed (to an extent) but are lacking something that really would make them stand out. Guitars sweep and vocals screech, but the lyrics are mere shadows of the exciting social commentaries produced by the bands that have clearly inspired them. Most of the time I can barely make out what Roxx Hydi is singing about, but when I can, it seems to be something bland and generic, not really delivering a message or provoking any sort of thought. Lazy song-writing is the easiest thing to call it, but it’s probably just lack of imagination.
‘One Night’ starts fast and furious, but quickly strays in mediocrity. It’s discount, bargain-basement glam-rock which really is a poor attempt at bringing a wonderful genre to a modern audience. There’s just no place for music like this in the current musical climate. Sure, the band is probably having fun playing it and I’m positive they have a loyal fan-base, but it really isn’t going to make waves big enough to rock the boat.
‘Questions’ is mish-mash of ideas and a bizarre attempt at a ballad. It gets lost almost thirty seconds in, before peaking too soon (and that peak certainly isn’t dizzy heights). The remainder of the song drags along like a wounded animal, which coincidentally is also what the lead vocals often sound like. The solo finally cuts them off, and the lick is a surprising highlight which definitely doesn’t last long enough. I hope the song is titled ‘Questions’ for the sole reason that the chorus is constant questioning, because that would prove that this band are extremely narrow-minded and must expect their target audience to have massively low IQs, because nobody else could enjoy this simple rubbish.
‘I Want More’ is the only song on the album with a hook, but even that can’t save another travesty. It attempts to have swagger, but it’s misplaced and the promiscuous edge oozes about as much sexuality as Susan Boyle. ‘I’m Falling’ has some personality and feeling, probably making it the best song on the record. However, the lyrics are clunky and odd, restricting the flow of the song and halting any enjoyment.
The final track on the album is titled ‘Drugs & Angels’ and I wouldn’t have expected anything less. It’s an awkwardly obvious title for an awkwardly obvious song. The yet more awkward woo from the vocalist brings in the song, which I swear uses the same chords as the opener. There’s a lot of bad Axl Rose impersonation going on here, including the awful clichéd moment that I cannot stand in music of any shape or form, a shout of ‘guitar!’ as a solo kicks in.
Glam-rock/metal hasn’t yet had its day, because modern bands that inject originality and fun can pull it off with ease. However, this release from Wasted Sinners is bland, void of style and above all, stagnant. The songs are poorly written and they leave nothing but a bad taste. I hope to hear nothing more of this band, because another release like this may cause me to vomit up my Jack & Coke.
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