Lizzy Borden

Injecting new life into his career, shock-metaller Lizzy Borden shakes off the horrific memories of a cock-rock past on Appointment With Death. Featuring sharper guitars and a closer semblance to King Diamond (albeit with fewer falsetto vocals) than Poison these days, the vocalist sings creepier songs such as "Abnormal,” "Bloody Tears” and "The Death Of Love,” boosted by an image that replaces glittery capes with skeletal makeup and a ghoulish backing band. However, while Appointment With Death is heavier and more cryptic than Borden has been in ages, traces of his hairspray past linger. Guests such as Erik Rutan of Hate Eternal and Trivium’s Cory Beaulieu fail to remove all of the acoustic balladeering and crooning. The end result is a step closer to true metal for Borden but until he sacrifices his impressive range for true severity, the sonic element will never match the inferred bestiality of his aesthetic.