British guitarist SOPHIE LLOYD is gearing up for the release of “Imposter Syndrome“, her new album featuring varied lead vocal contributions from the likes of Nathan James of INGLORIOUS, HALESTORM frontwoman Lzzy Hale, STEEL PANTHER’s Michael Starr, ATREYU’s Brandon Saller, TRIVIUM’s Matt Heafy, BLACK STONE CHERRY’s Chris Robertson and more.
Sophie may be one of several rising stars to have emerged from the online world, but there’s nothing ‘virtual’ about her talent. It hasn’t gone to her head – she understands that music is about songs and hooks – but when she unleashes that shred of hers, it’s somewhere between Atomic Playboys crunch & squeal and the unshackled genius of Extreme legend Nuno Bettencourt.
The message is, if you don’t favor shredding, you’ll like this… if you do favor shredding, you will like this… heavy, melodic hard / modern rock with tons of punch and drive.
The album boasts several bangers – the best is obviously ‘Runaway’, fronted by Steel Panther’s brilliantly ridiculous Michael Starr (c’mon, we’d all like to be him for a week or two, wouldn’t we?). The song has every heavy rock box ticked most impressively. It sounds like a lost Steve Steven’s Atomic Playboys lost song!
The title track brings the Halestorm touch – unsurprising as Lzzy Hale does her usual mesmerising job on a class slice of rock with emotions piled high from voice and guitar.
Also up there is the predictably heavy ‘Fall Of Man’, featuring Matthew K. Heafy of Trivium, and ‘Do Or Die’, a splendidly riff-heavy opener that benefits massively from the stonking pipes of classic rock dude Nathan James. You have melodic riffing with some neat and excellent phrasing on the guitar elevating the whole thing.
‘Won’t You Come’ is anthemic hard rock candy that sees Sophie reunited with Marisa Rodriguez, with whom the guitarist briefly played in Marisa And The Moths, and it’s clear the chemistry is still there.
On this new album, Sophie’s talents are thankfully not buried by the guests and, throughout, she is the star but with some major backing. The artistry of Sophie is complex, yet accessible and never overdone.
An entertaining album plenty of strong rockers and blazing guitar work.
Highly Recommended
Tracklist:
01. Do Or Die (feat. Nathan James)
02. Pressure (feat. Brandon Saller Of Atreyu)
03. Imposter Syndrome (feat. Lzzy Hale)
04. Let It Hurt (feat. Chris Robertson)
05. Runaway (feat. Michael Starr)
06. Fall Of Man (feat. Matthew K. Heafy)
07. Lost (feat. Cole Rolland)
08. Hanging On (feat. Lauren Babic)
09. Avalanche (feat. Trevor McNevan Of Thousand Foot Krutch)
10. Won't You Come (feat. Marisa Rodriguez)
11. Judge And Jury (feat. Tyler Connolly)
Sophie Lloyd – Imposter Syndrome 2023+FLAC
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