Collide & Conquer Album Cover
Originating from Canada, Hunter Valentine is a female rock trio that shout out catchy rock melodies with lots of sassy attitude. Setting the bar extremely high for other girl bands in this genre, they have recently been taking the NYC scene by storm.
Collide & Conquer is an eleven track record filled with bouncy rock songs and the occasional ballad, their sound is unique with plenty of guitar riffs and intricate drum lines. The band reminds me of the likes of Pink, Paramore and Hey Monday mixed together.
The lead vocalist Kiyomi has an interesting vocal style; her voice is punchy yet vulnerable, aggressive but controlled. Her voice is raspy and hits you with a full force in every single track.
There is a heavy touch of the sixties and seventies within their music and this is present in the first track of the album titled Liar Liar. The song is bursting with energy with bouncy guitar riffs and rhythmic drum beats. However, the next song Lonely Crusade is a complete contrast to Liar Liar, with subdued emotional lyrics and a four beat ballad vibe, it is one of my favourites on the album.
The Pulse is the leading single of the album; it has a catchy melody with an overlay of bold electric guitar notes. My favourite lyric from this song was ‘I tried to picture a lifetime of not waking up next to you/I couldn't shake off this feeling/ deception grew and grew.’
If there was something that didn’t quite settle with me with this particular song it was the emo-like-screaming in the background. It isn’t something that I particularly love but it doesn’t ruin the whole dynamic of the song.
Crying is the next track on the album and this is where the emotion really kicks in, the tone of the vocals portrays the feeling perfectly, the soft keyboards and the music breaks in the music definitely compliment the lyrics.
On the opposite end of the music scale is the next song on the album titled Little Curse (S*** Happens.) The song begins with a jittery electronic sound and launches into fast drum beats, the lead vocalist doesn’t waste any time to scream her feelings with lyrics such as ‘All this time together has left me cold and weathered/ I'll take what's mine from you/ All your expectations caved when I erased them/ A crutch to your empty heart, an excuse/You just played a part and your lies caught up to you/ Yeah they chased you to the truth/ Just deny, what you've said and done, you're a cheat and I hope you run.’
Again the ‘screamo’ parts are not to my musical taste but the only thing that really stood out for me was the message that can’t be ignored, the message that ‘S*** happens.’
Nowhere to Run is just as strong as the other tracks on the album and builds thicker and thicker until the chorus kicks in, just like a good Rock song should. The seventh track The Bull Rides Tonight starts with an eighties style electronic keyboard, and leads to a gentle combo of galloping drums and bass, and again towards the end you’re confronted with some powerful screams.
Gates of Hell is the next track and is also a fast-paced Rock song with a strong punk vibe. Ted’s Collision is another strong and heartfelt tune and this contrasts with the next track, the jumpy and bouncy Priscilla which not only gets your head moving, but has some wonderful harmonies. The final track The Great Canadian Love Song is soft and pessimistic and the snare drum during the choruses is just as hard hitting as the melody, and the abrupt ending leaves you eager for more.
In conclusion, this album is pretty damn good. When looking at the CD cover I predicted that I wouldn’t like it because it’s not a type of music I usually listen too. However, I am pleasantly surprised. The album is tame and soft, but it captures the energy in the right places. I wasn't too keen on the 'screamo' parts in the music but that's just my personal preference and doesn't effect what I think of the album overall.
Like me, this may well be the first you've heard of Hunter Valentine, but I'm guessing that it won't be the last.
The album was released across the pond in late October last year but now it has been officially released in the UK.
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