Album Review: Pamela Moore, Resurrect Me: Badass by Design!

I have to start this review with a confession. I can't believe it, but this is the first album I have ever bought with a female singer. That's right. I never bought a Joan Jett, Lita Ford, Warlock, Femme Fatale, Vixen, or any other album with a female singer. NO, I am not sexist at all. I liked the music of the bands I mentioned, but for some reason, I never bought an album. 

Its probably best that I didn't. Pamela Moore's Resurrect Me on Rat Pak Records is amazing. Amy Lee and Evanescence should sit up and take notice. Pamela and her band are showing you how it should be done! 

All I had heard from Pamela prior to this album was her part in Suite Sister Mary from Queensryche's Operation: Mindcrime. A completely epic song, which made me fall in love with her unique voice. I love the shrieks at the end of the lines that she does. I always have. Pamela is cemented in the history of Queensryche, and she even appeared at Queensryche's album release party unannounced to sing Suite Sister Mary with Todd LaTorre. It was freaking awesome. Listen to the crowd when she takes the stage! She is loved and adored by the fans, and rightfully so. Her voice is beauty, power, lust, and grace all rolled into one.

  

Bands like Halestorm have lately shown that the ladies know how to rock! Lizzy Hale's glass shattering screeching and powerful vocals have shown that vocal ability and power is not dead. Now, enter Pamela Moore who takes this ability and makes it into an art form. 

Her album, Resurrect Me is one of quite a few heavy hitting metal albums to be released in 2013. This year seems to be a good year for metal. Look it up if you don't believe me. Aside from Pamela, Alice in Chains, Black Sabbath with Ozzy, Queensryche, and several others all released albums that kicked ass. 2013 has been the best year for metal in a long time. 

I was first introduced to this album by her single, Paranoia. 

The video was released on social media, and I was immediately interested. The guitar is deep and heavy, with a touch of classic Prog metal, and a modern feel. The vocals are what I was hoping for. She hasn't lost a lick! Her voice is strong and beautiful. Its complete with the shrieks from her that I love so much.

A couple months later, I heard the title track. Pamela's record label, Rat Pak released it on  their website, Resurrect Me. Click here to hear it!  

That song blew me away. It starts as a ballad, but slams into a pure metal song. I swear the keyboard blast at the beginning of the fast segment reminds me of a movie soundtrack. Not sure, but I remember a similar track that is played at the end of a horror or thriller movie. If someone could tell me what movie I am thinking of, I would greatly appreciate it! EDIT: It was the closing music from the TV series 'Fringe'

But, that song punched me in the face, and forced me to buy the album. I downloaded it from Google Play. There are 10 songs, and I like 9.5 of them, meaning that I like everything except for the second half of one of the songs. In other words, the album exceeded my expectations, in every way.

This isn't just a metal album. This is a metal album that will grab you by your throat, and shake you until your toenails pop off! Not a bad song on it, and all of them could be singles on their own.

The vocals being great is a no brainer, but the guitar is enormous. Its deep, dark, and gritty. In fact, all of the instruments on this album are top caliber. The cohesion of the musicians makes you believe that the lineup has been together for years. (Maybe they have. I don't know.)

I have several favorite tracks on this album. The title track, Resurrect Me, Wide Awake, and Melt into You. Although there is not a bad cut on the album.  I mentioned a half song that I didn't care for, and that is Awaken. But, I did like the first half of the song! 

The whole album is a gothic/progressive assault on the senses. The song titles would seem to indicate a concept album about vampires, but I don't know if this is the case or not. I've only listened to it about 5 times, and the lyrics haven't sunk in just yet...But, they are getting there. I went to bed last night with Paranoia in my head. 

If you're looking for something soft, you're looking in the wrong place. This album is heavy. Pamela shows she can not only play with the boys, she can also play harder. This album is better than anything currently on the radio, and I'm including bands like Disturbed in this statement. Yep. Pamela Moore has released an album that is better than Disturbed, which is probably the top current rock/metal band right now. Even the 2 ballads (Breaking Down and Wide Awake) are hauntingly powerful. 

The tracks are:

1, Acquiescent

2, Melt Into You

3, Paranoia

4, We Are Damaged

5, Resurrect Me

6, The Sky is Falling

7, Awaken

8, Breaking Down

9, Desperate by Design

10, Wide Awake (Phoenix Rising)

I give this album 4.5 out of 5 stars. Go and get the album right now, and prepare to be rocked in ways that you haven't been rocked in a while. You will not be disappointed. And if you are, well then you probably suck and are a Justin Bieber fan. 

In August, I had the honor of interviewing Pamela. Check it out here! 

On her official website, she mentions that she gives vocal lessons. I may at some point take her up on that. I could use some help getting my vocal range back to what it was in 2002.