Review Summary: Big guitars, big hooks and a singer that can actually sing!
There's one thing that Marya Roxx cannot be accused of and that's being timid. Her debut album Payback time is loud and proud and proves that this isn't someone to be messed with. Some might criticize the seemingly simple structure to the songs but to me true rock music is about the feeling it evokes in you and sometimes you just wanna bang that head and move with the big guitars, big hooks and a singer that can actually sing.
With a respectful nod to the traditional features of rock music and a healthy representation of punk style tracks, this album is sure to find a home with the majority of hardcore rock fans.
Kicking off with Time to run, you're under no illusion that this will be a heavy hitter, you are then taken into the headbanging 'Oh Yeah' with it's huge dominating riffs. The theme solidly carries on through this album with injections of punk influences in 'Filth' and 'Rebel' through to the slightly more melodic but powerful just the same 'Boneyard'
Since leaving Vanilla Ninja to concentrate on a solo career, Marya Roxx has been working very hard to get the music she obviously enjoys performing the most out there. A seemingly non-stop stream of European tours supporting some big names [ Skindred, Primal Fear etc] as well as a solo UK tour were in preparation for her much anticipated first solo album.
Her generous following, a mixture of new fans as well as VN fans went to these shows and lived with the soon to be released songs from the album for quite a few tours before it was finally released to the public in the fall of last year.
Marya's stage presence and vocal range live are something to be admired, frequently turning venues of skeptical rockers to fans buying her cd at the merch desk at the end of the night, proving this girl can get out there with the most hardcore rock fans and show them what she's made of!
Overall this is an album that packs a punch with great vocals. Marya has obviously spent alot of time honing the sound she wants to be remembered for and one unique to her, and even though her style is heavily influenced, it is very Marya Roxx!
