There is a raw, down and dirty feel to a lot of the rock music that finds its way out of Australia and Heaven The Axe are no exception. What separates them from the herd is that they are fronted by a blonde, in your face force that is Phoebe Pinnock (strewth, a Sheila!).
She appears all the more glamorous when you see her surrounded by the rest of the hairy bearded blokes that make up the band. While the novelty might pique people’s interest at first, it’s the music that counts. Does it deliver? Well, yes and no. Certainly, they have a sound that has appeal. The guys have been in various metal bands down under and their craft and graft shines through. The result is scuzzy, sleazy riffs that are cranked out hard, fast and sharp enough to give you a buzz cut. In Pinnock they have a singer who has a lusty voice that’s the equal of the metal around her. Vocally, she’s very reminiscent of Alanis Morrisette and, to a lesser extent, Linda Perry of Four Non-Blondes fame. While those artists in the 90s pushed the fact that women didn’t need to dress like Britney to sell records, Phoebe takes the Britney route and straps on a leather bra and would slide down a greasy pole to get your attention.
‘Enemy’ and ‘Masochist’ are sturdy rockers that roar like a hotrod and the acoustic ballad ‘Unconditional Love’ shows another side of the band that could have wider, even pop appeal. But with only eight (and a hidden track that’s not worth the wait), it does strike you that you’re being short changed. It feels more like an extended EP than a full LP. This would be OK if it was all killer but isn’t as a couple of the tracks fall short of memorable. Their muscular rock and capable singer suggest they could be a good live draw and they serve as proof that there’s more to Aussie rock than aping AC/DC. Their sound is stronger than their songs at this stage.
They need a few more catchy hooks to nut you in the face or more modern bands with a more modern approach like Halestorm, Paramore or Hydrogyn are likely to leave them trailing.
01 - Enemy
02 - Masochist
03 - Electric Wire
04 - So Nirvana
05 - Glue
06 - Get Your Devil To Do It
07 - Unconditional Love
08 - Tails To You
Heaven The Axe – ‘Sex, Chugs And Rock ‘n’ Roll 2012
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