Artist: Crucified Barbara
Album title: In The Red
by Phil Kimm
Release date: September 10, 2014
Produced by: Chips Kiesbye
Recorded at: Music-A-Matic Studios, Gothenburg
Mixed by: Henryk Lipp
Mastered by: Henryk Lipp/Vintage Mastering
Artwork: Erik Rovanpera
Uncompromising is the word that lodged itself in my brain the first time I listened to Crucified Barbara. They are an all-girl hard rock band based in the Swedish capital known for the energy and raw emotion they bring into live shows. The quartet started as a duo when bassist Ida and guitarist Klara met up while in their teens. As they were looking for a drummer, Nicki popped out of the woodwork carrying two drumsticks. And when Joey Nine, the group’s initial vocalist quit the group in 2003, an opportunity opened up for Mia to join. Since then Stockholm’s bars and clubs have been haunted by the rich, melodic, no-holds-barred brand of metal that Crucified Barbara have become known for. 2005 saw the release of their debut ‘In Distortion We Trust’ and since then the girls have made a name for themselves all over Europe and in the U.S., playing alongside the likes of Backyard Babies and Motorhead. They also released two more credible albums. Almost a decade later Crucified Barbara has come into its own and released an 11-track album that is more expressive of the individual personalities and worldview. Recorded in the legendary Music-A-Matic studio and christened In The Red, it is the band’s most polished project to date.
Crucified Barbara debunk the assumption that being an all-chick band has anything to do with how hard they rock right from the gate. “I Sell My Kids For Rock N Roll” is a hand to the face of anyone questioning Crucified Barbara’s commitment to the craft. It is a breathless cut that threatens to snap the vertebrae of all who attempt to head-bang in time with it. And if the reckless tempo doesn’t get you, the bawling guitars will numb your brain. Next is the anti-rape anthem “To Kill a Man”. Calling a chorus that goes “I wonder how it feels to kill a man, empowered by the fear” powerful might be considered understating things. But the message against rape, in any of its shades, needs to be driven home with all necessary force. And the video in which such chilling statistics as ‘1 in 4 women in the UK will suffer domestic abuse in their lifetime’ flash intermittently, does just that. The anger and fear of the many victims of this horrendous crime are embodied in Mia’s screechy voice as she ploughs through verse after verse, describing the cockiness of predators and the helplessness of the prey. The passion is also transmitted through the tortured guitar chords. However, the gravity of the subject matter in no way detracts from the excellence of the musicianship on display.
Crucified Barbara – To Kill A Man ( Official Video )
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A shot of adrenaline is then injected into the mix, pulling the tempo back up to danceable levels in the next cut “Electric Sky”. It is followed by the upbeat, inspirational “Ghost Inside”. You are persuaded to pay no mind to the nay-saying voices in your head and push on, living life to the fullest, but then on the very next track you’re warned “Don’t Call On Me”. Mia and her bandmates aren’t shooing you away, they’re talking to someone who failed them in the past, or so it sounds. Whoever they’re talking about or to, this is my type of song- a steady, bass-driven, snare-splashing melody sped up in parts and slowed down to let you drink in the warning at the hook. There is something dramatically dusky about the way the track kicks off that sucks you in and cements your ears to the speakers.
The quintessential party song in every rock album is the title track “In The Red”. This is where you stop listening to the lyrics and take a carefree ride on the undulating riffs and allow Nicki to pound your eardrums sore. And the party continues with “Lunatic #1” which is a one-size-fits-all for any mosh pit. If you thought Crucified Barbara were the kind to wrap up an album with a quiet, contemplative number, “Follow The Stream” will make you think again. Nicki smashes at the drums with renewed vigor and Ida and Klara keep pace with her right to the prolonged conclusion.
