Review of Heaven’s Basement’s “Filthy Empire”

Usually when you think of a band that delivers “radio rock,” also known as “active rock,” you often think of squeaky-clean production from bands that just seem to do no wrong in the eyes of many fans and critics alike.

Enter in a band like the U.K.’s Heaven’s Basement, and you get a band that not only achieves a sound that seems to be meant for radio, but a sound that has just enough of a level of danger to keep you on the edge of your seat for a good portion of their debut album “Filthy Empire.”

Released on Feb. 4 by Red Bull Records, “Filthy Empire” finds the boys in Heaven’s Basement generating a sound that is akin to classic bands such as Guns N’ Roses and Skid Row.  While there have been many modern bands that have used a classic sort of sound to their advantage (i.e. Airbourne, The Sword and Wolfmother), Heaven’s Basement takes it to a whole new level.

With heavier, anthemic tracks such as the album opener “Welcome Home,” “I Am Electric,” “Fire, Fire” and “Executioner’s Day,” the band showcases a sort of “balls to the wall” attitude and delivers with pure rock ‘n’ roll aggression.

One of the major highlights is the talents of vocalist Aaron Buchanan, whose soaring high range and screams really seem to fit in to this sort of setting.

With all of that being said, the slower songs of the album are not quite as enjoyable and do interfere with the continuity of the album as a whole, but that’s not a deal-breaker in the slightest.

Heaven’s Basement is a band that many should welcome with open arms, and one that I hope will be a driving force for newer hard rock for years to come.