Based in Vancouver, BC Alice Hardy formed in 2016. With a few riffs and a smelter of influences, forging a sound and style of hard rock that is new, yet familiar. Made up of members Clay on vocals (Stone Head/Numbskull), 2 x Whammy award winner Paul on Guitar (Mario Parga Band), Whammy award winner Darren on Bass and tub thumping Ovi on drums, their album also features guest appearances from Guitar Virtuoso Mario Parga (Cozy Powell’s Hammer/Forcefield/Graham Bonnet/Solo Artist).
The band describe themselves as “A high energy band hell bent on fun and anger that punches the rest of the world in the face while throwing up the “horn” of defiant protest.”
There’s plenty of aggression here and an almost old-school Gothic groove to tracks like ‘Machination’ that makes you thing of bands like Play Dead but done with a rock rather than a dark Goth thrust. If you like that vibe then you’ll also like the proto-Maiden of ‘We the Night’ but it’s the high energy of ‘Punk Western’ that I reckon is really where these guys should be – it’s like a Western Biker Rock that just suits the attitude to a tee. Tracks like “I Stand Accused’ might be a little too much with production as workman like as this but it does show a band with plenty of ideas even if the vocals might not be to everyone’s taste (personally I like ’em).
Along with ‘Punk Western’ my favourite is actually the closer ‘Smokin” which is of course not about cigarettes. Knockoff a few rough edges and these guys have something rather worthy of your attention…
