  
Frontiers/BAM
Danish legends PRETTY MAIDS has a legacy of melodic hard rock on their shoulders. Formed in 1982 by the eternal duo Ken Hammer, guitars, and Ronnie Atkins, vocals, they opened up with a string of fine records, culminating in 1987 with “Future World”. Tours with DEEP PURPLE and an appearance at the Monsters of Rock Festival followed. Everything went smoothly with the follow-up “Jump the Gun” in 1990 too. Then grunge happened. The nineties were probably rough with a best of, an acoustic album and a couple of studio albums that most of us forgot. In 2006 they returned with “Wake Up to the Real World” and in 2010 I really enjoyed myself with “Pandemonium”. The “It Comes Alive - Maid in Switzerland” was a great addition last year. So, will this one be equally convincing?
Opener “Mother of All Lies” is strangely compelling but not up to par with the opener of 2010 “I.N.V.U”. Next up is “To Fool a Nation” and it is clear that the subjects are harsher in 2013, and the style more gloomy. “Confession” is a spoken and played part which doesn´t do the trick with me and I fear the worst by now. They seem to hover betwixt The Eurovision Song Contest and the doomy nineties style-wise. What saves the day is the band´s unprecedented feeling of melody. So be it, the style is not what I prefer, but still songs like “The Iceman”, the power ballad “Infinity”, the speedy and melodic title track and the spot-on “Bullet for You” could have been outstanding in the style of 2010. Cheer up lads, you´re doing fine! The vocals are amazing still, the guitar sound maybe fatter than ever. But the drums are too dominant and ominous, even gloomier than the cover. With more of a smile this would have been on everyone´s lips…
Track list
Mother of All Lies
To Fool a Nation
Confession
The Iceman
Sad to See You Suffer
Hooligan
Infinity
Why So Serious?
Motherland
I See Ghosts
Bullet for You
Who What Where When Why
Wasted
www.frontiers.it www.myspace.com/pmaids
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