Blood Stained Love Story

Saliva turns to its old manner of performance

As it often happens in quite a number of bands, there have recently been some changes in the line-up of Saliva, a quintet from Memphis. Guitarist Chris D’abaldo has left the collective and Jon Montoya has replaced him. This has taken place when the band was having its far from the best times as its last album Survival Of The Sickest, released in 2004, has received quite a low critical acclaim. It took the band almost three years to recover and think over something that would make the fans forget about the past – a new record Blood Stained Love Story. To fulfill the task the members of Saliva have turned to their old manner of performance, featured with spoken lyrics. Besides the band has a reputation of writing more radio-friendly songs than other hard rock collectives do, and this time its front man lyricist and singer Josey Scott has decided to stick to this tradition. Thus Blood Stained Love Story is Saliva’s chance to win back the former glory and prove that it still can rock the world with heavy compositions and incomparable performance. The record offers songs of differed contents and moods and really reminds of Saliva’s 1990s works.

Blood Stained Love Story is meant for a wide circle of listeners

Naturally the album is meant not only to the most devoted hard rock fans but to everyone who enjoys quality guitars and drum work as well. Each particular track has something of its own to offer and at the same time none of them poses itself against the others. The opening single Ladies And Gentlemen is one of the heaviest compositions on the record with powerful electronic vocals and an impetuous rhythm. An up-tempo song Broken Sunday pleases with a cathchy chorus, while Never Gonna Change is a softer ballad with great melodious guitars, and a the lyrics here are filled with hopelessness and dispair. Another hard track One More Chance tells about relations and mistakes people make, and suggestive composition Going Under is sure to appeal to those who are confused and are not expecting much good from life. Yet in comparison with track Black Sheep all the previous songs seem a meer baby talk, and many might even turn out unprepared for that. Here the whole band gives itself full swing and proves that Saliva is not about to forget what it really is. Here With You is a love ballad that little would have expected from a hard rock band, but in terms of manner of performance and instrumentation this song does it credit. The album closes with song Write Your Name remarkable for another catchy chorus and a great solo part in the middle.

Saliva’s second breath is open

The last years have not been too fruitful or lucky for Saliva. The band has been accused of losing its initial powerful sound. The fact that its songs are often radio-friendly has caused critics to talk about Saliva’s approaching pop music area, which many fans have judged strongly. Besides, after the collective’s front man Josey Scott took part in the recording of the soundtrack for Spider-Man movie, it was apprehended as a partially commercial move. Comparisons with Nickelback practically became the last straw. Consquently a big proportion of fans has turned their heads off the band. Luckily Saliva’s new album is sure to bring its reputation back and probably begin a new era in the band’s creative work. The main stake is made on the combination of older elements with new ideas. Thus it is but evident that Saliva’s second breath has been finally open and it is still going to create new masterpieces that won’t be worse than its most successful third album Back Into Your System. And for now there is a great record Blood Stained Love Story at our disposal which is about to reveal all its nuances from listening to listening.