Iron Maiden guitarist Adrian Smith and former SikTh frontman Mikee Goodman have come together to form the supergroup Primal Rock Rebellion, with their debut album Awoken Broken. The album itself can be loosely described as melodic metal mixed with a bit of hard rock — it combines elements of Smith’s beautiful guitar riffs with the ferocious growls and multi-octave voice of Goodman.
However, Maiden fans should know that Smith chooses to ditch his usual gallop guitar to try out a more contemporary style. SikTh fans, on the other hand, should be pleased with the amount of weirdness that can be found in the album.
This is not a very easy album to listen to if you are just venturing into this genre of music. The singing can be very erratic at times, quickly alternating from heavy screams to a melodic chorus. If you can get used to this style of singing then you will find that this album has a lot to offer.
The songs themselves vary in intensity — the first few song of the album begin with heavier vocals and guitar, and as you progress through the album they take on a more calming sound, with the last song acting as a serenade.
Awoken Broken combines two different spectrums of metal, taking the listener on a colourful journey. Goodman and Smith bring their own unique influences to the album, creating an experience that is both strange and exciting.