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Palaye Royale – The Bastards
Label: Sumerian
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The name “Palaye Royale” caught my attention few years ago after watching American Satan but only recently I gave their music a shot and boy, I’m glad I did. I was impressed from the start and ‘Mr. Doctor Man’ must have been one of the better songs I’ve heard in a long time. What’s really special about them is that you can’t categorize them. Yeah, when you see and hear them it’s obvious that it’s some kind of glam or art rock but it’s interesting how they incorporated elements of My Chemical Romance, David Bowie, The Rolling Stones, British rock and glam rock of the 70’s in general but I also feel some Sixx:A.M.’s Modern Vintage influences. And of top of that, they’ve just released new album – ‘The Bastards’. Great!
After everything I’ve written above I never thought I’ll write this but here it goes – from the beginning of “The Bastards” up to let’s say “Lonely” I was disappointing. It’s not that it’s bad it’s just not how it should be. It’s not as flamboyant, theatrical or as Palaye Royale as it should be.
And then ‘Hang On To Yourself’ comes on. Finally something I want to hear! You can feel the glamour in the melody and the previously mentioned influences. It’s the highlight of the album if you ask me. I’ve had this song stuck in my head for quite a while.
I really like pre-chorus and chorus of “Nightmare”, well, whole song in general but that parts especially. Really good song too! Now the following song “Masochist” sounds like something dark made in the 70’s or late 60’s but covered in today’s production.
It’s not usual that albums end better than they started and that is the case with ‘The Bastards’. ‘Black Sheep’ is easily one of the better songs here along with “Stay” and “Redeemer”. Unlike the last two, ‘Black Sheep’ is uptempo hard rocker with ‘Stay’ being mid to slow tempo moody song and ‘Redeemer’ ballad which gives me some Baroque or Renaissance (sorry, history is not my strongest area) feeling.
“The Bastards” is in general heavier than anything they’ve done before and honestly, it’s not what I wanted it to be but what can we do.
I can’t say that it’s bad because it’s not and I’m one of those people who don’t have problems when bands experiment with different styles but that goes only if they make something better or at least as good as it was but in a different way and this time I feel like they made a step down.
