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It is debatable as to whether this would be more at home here, or at 'Kerrang!' alongside the not dissimilar Buckcherry and Backyard Babies. However, this debut of Philadelphia trio Burning Brides is produced by Brian McTear, collaborator of CwaS favourites Mazarin and Matt Pond PA; this fact for me being the most obvious portal to discover that Burning Brides rock. Boy, do they rock. Fall Of The Plastic Empire is a ballad-free zone, dictated to by guitar savagery and the odd unashamed Metal riff-fest song climax. It is quite difficult to take such posturing seriously, but then I even find Royal Trux extremely amusing. Beneath the hammerdown though, beats a heart of pop, when Cheap Trick and The Dandy Warhols spring to mind. On a couple of occasions, these pop sensibilities yield fine results; most notably on the preening handclap-driven Glass Slipper (What gets your vote for best ever handclaps in a song? Let me know at david.moz@virginnet.co.uk), and the obvious single Arctic Snow. But alas, despite the fact that this is tough, punky stuff, I can't get remotely excited about it, but hope that they do indeed get the coverage they should get in more dedicated publications. The kids'll love 'em.

Tom Sheriff
CWAS #8 - Summer 2001

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