Album review by; Kayleigh
Ahead of bringing their arena-sized rock n roll to the UK for the first time, Australia’s Sisters Doll are releasing their anticipated third studio album ‘Scars’ on the 24th of January.
The Australian powerhouse have been rapidly gaining attention and recognition since their beginning in 2010. The group of brothers who are originally from a small mining town in Western Australia made the move in 2014 to Melbourne in pursuit of their rock n roll dreams. Since then, the group have seen rave reviews and have shared stages with the likes of Kiss, L.A Guns, The Angels, Peter Criss, Buckcherry and more.
Sisters Doll’s third album ‘Scars’ is like the gift that keeps on giving, a box full of various surprises and all of them good.
Setting the scene the instrumental opening ‘Purgatory’ has an atmospheric and haunting feel to it. The guitars will pull you in, but I had no idea what I was to expect, all I knew was that it was going to be something massive.
Erupting with a huge riff before melting into something more melodic, ‘Climbing Out of Hell’ is the first real taste of what ‘Scars’ has to offer. Don’t get me wrong there is a very melodic feel to it but it’s gritty and fuelled with a classic rock energy, especially in the chorus. It’s plucky and will have you wanting to stick around.
‘Prisoner’ is one with character, it takes the album in a more fun direction with its groove and melody. I would say this one, ‘Change’ and ‘First Time’ all lean into a more sort of cheesy rock sound but they are all really fun and work so well on this album. ‘Change’ especially has a strong pop feel but with a rock edge. This one wouldn’t seem out of place in a rock musical and in its melody and beat reminds me a little more of Queen than the likes of Motley Crue that I would normally compare these guys too. ‘Change’ is also more modern rock than a lot of what I have heard from Sisters Doll.
‘Don’t Give Up On Us’ was the first song from ‘Scars’ that I really loved. This one feels like a modern pop-punk track while also dripping with hard rock. The vocal melody seems to effortlessly flow between these two genres as the guitar delivers a bright acoustic rock melody that swells into something bigger and warmer in the chorus. One of the things I did really love is the fact that I could hear so many different influences in the heartfelt ballad type track. This is one that feels like you’re getting to the core of what makes Sisters Doll’s sound rather than just a copy of something that was done years before.
I started to think of ‘Scars’ a bit like a sandwich at this point as I found my three favourite tracks were right in the middle. The next one being ‘Baby Doll’, pulling completely away from the sounds that have been heard before this one is pure hard rock. I would even say in the verses I could compare this song to bands like Escape The Fate while the chorus takes on an arena-rock personality. Lyrically, much like a lot of the album too be honest, it seems fairly simple, but it works so well, giving listeners something big that they can sing a long too. I loved the fact the guitars felt a little more dangerous in this one and the vocals have a slight vicious edge to them that makes this song so addictive.
‘United’ is the last of my three absolute favourites that are in this album. This is the only single I had previously heard from the band and that’s largely due to me having seen it across social media. This one seems to be gaining a steady amount of attention in the music world and rightfully so. Its massive chorus demands attention with a classic rock feel and vocal harmonies to match. This one is rock n roll to the core, and I can fully imagine loads of people at a Sisters Doll show going crazy for the relevant lyrics, power guitars and vocals that seem to take flight.
After the epic ‘United’, ‘Take You Away’ comes in next and it may not feel as up my street as the songs I had consumed before but it’s still a great track. ‘Take You Away’ is a bit sleazier and feels like it could be a Motley Crue track but with the large melodic harmony element that Sisters Doll seem to have perfected.
Skipping to the last song, it opens with this gorgeous acoustic guitar that belongs on some fairytale inspired album, the vocals however are so emo. This one pleases thirteen-year-old me and I am a huge fan of the title track ‘Scars’. This one grows into a rock melody that’s beautiful, and I sort of wish I didn’t love it as much as I do.
As I mentioned earlier ‘Scars’ is an album packed with lots of little treats. Much like the too many selection boxes I received at Christmas there is something in here for everyone and every piece gives you a taste of something different, yet it’s all brought together by one common factor and in this case, I have to say it’s that passion for rock n roll that I could hear in every single track. I again mentioned this earlier on, but for me there isn’t a single skip in ‘Scars’ and I can’t believe I’m only finding out about this band now. After writing this I’m on my way to check out what other music they have out there, and I recommend you do the same while we wait for this release on the 24th of January.
4.5 out of 5
Tracklist;
01. Purgatory
02. Climbing Out Of Hell
03. Prisoner
04. Change
05. First Time
06. Don’t Give Up On Us
07. Baby Doll
08. United
09. Take You Away
10. Kiss Me
11. You Can’t Bring Me Down
Scars
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