Halestorm
ReAnimate: The CoVeRs


4.0
excellent

Review

by pizzamachine USER (626 Reviews)
July 12th, 2011 | 28 replies


Release Date: 2011 | Tracklist

Review Summary: this was unexpected to say the least.

Basically made for the heck of it, ReAnimate: The CoVeRs gives us an assortment of cover songs, and a decently fun time. Now, I know what you’re thinking. The band already isn’t that remarkable, and their debut album had much to be desired, so how can an EP filled with cover songs possibly be a good thing? Whether you believe it or not, the sex-driven rock group has done great justice to the songs. They may not be breaking new grounds by releasing a cover EP, but the band has never been revolutionary anyway. Considering that this band exudes rock as it formally was, creating this EP actually makes a lot of sense, and they ultimately prove it to be a sound idea.

The EP starts with a Skid Row cover from their classic album Slave to the Grind, which already spells disaster, but shockingly, the cover is immensely well done. In fact, Halestorm’s version of the song is so good that it makes the original seem as attractive as week old vomit. It has more energy and raw power than the original, and combined with Lzzy Hale’s extremely impressive vocals, it honestly puts the original song to shame. As usual, Lzzy’s vocals make songs immense, as she shows off her impressive vocal range, as well as her seamless transitions between gritty and pretty vocal styles. While there is the audacious ‘Slave to the Grind’, there is also the romantic ‘All I Wanna Do Is Make Love To You’ which highlights Lzzy’s gorgeous vocals, and results in a beautiful song. Both the singer and the band are proving that they can handle diversity, and we’re finding that the band is much more talented than their debut album showed.

Surprisingly, there are almost no bad apples in the basket. The only rotten apple is their cover of ‘Hunger Strike’, which sounds uninspired, lazy, and incredibly boring. In the midst of such astoundingly good covers, it’s a pity that this one wormed its way in. Another pity is found in ‘Bad Romance’ which really didn’t need to be covered again. It’s a solid version to be sure, but the album version pales in comparison to their powerful live performance of the song. Thankfully though, with ‘Bad Romance’ being good anyway, and with ‘Hunger Strike’ being the only subpar song, the EP barely suffers. Instead, we are treated with excellent covers like ‘Out To Get Me’ and ‘I Want You (She’s So Heavy). ‘Out To Get Me’ is a Guns N’ Roses cover which has been argued to be either just as good as the original or even better than it, and that’s no small feat. ‘I Want You (She’s So Heavy)’ is an amazing cover of a classic The Beatles song that just might be the best cover of the song yet. Yes, Halestorm has done quite well in making this EP, and with the band’s talent finally revealing itself, it bodes well for their upcoming album. This is one cover songs collection that you don’t want to miss.



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user ratings (38)
3.4
great


Comments:Add a Comment 
DoubtGin
July 12th 2011


6879 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0

a Lady Gaga cover, I'm in

pizzamachine
July 12th 2011


27091 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Yeah man, it's pretty good.

Blindsided
July 13th 2011


1871 Comments


Lead singer is sooooooo hot.

Irving
Emeritus
July 13th 2011


7496 Comments


Irving read....you know the rest =)

PS - Irving is no longer in Canada now, Pizz =/

pizzamachine
July 13th 2011


27091 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

@ Stokes: hahaha foiled again!

@ Ving: Drat! Guess I'll never see you in real life.

Sowing
Moderator
July 13th 2011


43943 Comments


Ok so I have been feeling bad for not keeping up with my reading of the user review section, and I figured what better place to get back into the groove than with a pizzamachine review. Besides, I don't read enough of your work anyway, and you have written nearly as many reviews as me, so it's long overdue.

This is a good review. It is convincingly written; I want to check this out and I barely ever listen to Halestorm. Some of the stuff I found to be worded in kind of a cluttered fashion - nothing that is gramatically wrong, I guess just stylistic preference...like "Whether you believe it or not" just seems like it could have been cut down to "believe it or not", and the last sentence of that first paragraph kind of made me cringe a little:

Considering that this band exudes rock as it formally was, creating this EP actually makes a lot of sense, and they ultimately prove it to be a sound idea.


I bolded what I found to be a little awkward. Anyway, I'm definitely nit picking because this is a solid-to-very good review...worthy of a pos. I'll look forward to reading more of your stuff



pizzamachine
July 13th 2011


27091 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Thanks Sowing! No worries man, I usually expect people to read my reviews if they care about the band or album (and you don't). Yeah you're right that "exudes rock as it formally was" was a part I cringed at too, but I wasn't sure how to write it haha. Thanks again!!!

Sowing
Moderator
July 13th 2011


43943 Comments


No prob. What's the best song here for me to DL

pizzamachine
July 13th 2011


27091 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

I'd say the first song, but you'd probably like the Beatles cover.

tiesthatbind
July 13th 2011


7441 Comments


Their self-titled is so much fun.

Nice review dude, I'm curious to hear a couple of these covers.

Jethro42
July 13th 2011


18274 Comments


posd
edit - 'I want you' is very well done here. I now want to listen to the rest.

Blindsided
July 13th 2011


1871 Comments


Good review man.
I'm weary of this Beatles cover however.

pizzamachine
July 13th 2011


27091 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Why? It's a great cover.

Tyrael
July 13th 2011


21108 Comments


Yes a Lady Gaga cover AND a pizzamachine review? I'm being spoiled.

pizzamachine
July 13th 2011


27091 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

I'll take combo 1 with extra Ty

xfearbefore
July 13th 2011


2037 Comments


My buddy always plays this shit when we're drinking. It's very good drinking music.

BigHans
July 13th 2011


30959 Comments


Some really cool song choices here. They dont do Slave to the Grind justice though, the original of that tune fucking rapes mountains.

BigHans
July 13th 2011


30959 Comments


lol just read this line, you're out of your mind Pizza:

The EP starts with a Skid Row cover from their classic album Slave to the Grind, which already spells disaster, but shockingly, the cover is immensely well done. In fact, Halestorm’s version of the song is so good that it makes the original seem as attractive as week old vomit.

BigHans
July 13th 2011


30959 Comments


Instead, we are treated with excellent covers like ‘Out To Get Me’ and ‘I Want You (She’s So Heavy). ‘Out To Get Me’ is a Guns N’ Roses cover which has been argued to be either just as good as the original or even better than it

^ Dude. Dude? Dude. No way.

tiesthatbind
July 13th 2011


7441 Comments


The Heart cover rules.



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