Taking Dawn

There's always a way to make a fresh aural impact, as latest Roadrunner Records signees Taking Dawn prove with Time To Burn. An odd blend of power metal's operatic tendencies united with an aura of cock rock's pomp and circumstance laid over essentially AC/DC-esque grime, the 11-track album is epic and thunderous, especially for a quartet. Essentially a watered-down ― if such a thing can be diluted further ― Axxis, hailing from this side of the Big Pond, the band are undeniably proficient and enthusiastic about their craft, which becomes disturbingly infectious as one delves deeper. While it will be difficult to see this band amassing eternally fervent fans, their wily attitudes and consistently precocious tunes are rather anthemic, befitting a night of carefree goofiness when one needs a bit of European power charging their American metal ― when the brazen attitude of Mötley Crüe is unappealingly garish and other Los Angeles-based glam bands are too pantywaist.