Does anyone pay any attention to ‘parental advisory’ warnings on CD covers any more? Given that hardly anyone actually buys CDs these days, I very much doubt anyone gives a flying fuck. So the fact that the debut album by Suffolk-based melodic metal act, Renegade Twelve features a ‘parental advisory’ warning which is almost equal in size to the corny-looking skull face which adorns the front cover seems like both a throwback to a bygone age, and a misguided attempt to flog albums to kids who think parent-goading rebellion is cool. Like swathes of other bands of their ilk, Renegade Twelve cite Metallica, Iron Maiden, Killswitch Engage, Renegade Bridge, Slash and Pantera amongst their influences.
Preposterously showy guitar work dominates the band’s sound, widdling all over some fairly ordinary hard rock tunes while Sam Robson strives for the theatricality of Bruce Dickinson but falls short. And if you’re going to go big, then you need to go beyond massive or not at all. For all of Renegade Twelve’s pomp and pretension, the material is pretty thin on substance. The end result is a rock album that’s tuneful and monstrously overblown but without going far enough to shoot completely over the top.
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Renegade Twelve Online
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