Trophy

Album review

If one never expected to once again face the prospect of another heavy rock/metal band with a decidedly intense female vocalist after similar acts from the early '90s (Babes in Toyland, Hole, etc.) fell apart, one may have to think again. In addition, it may be necessary to reexamine what a band like that can do. While that first wave of bands collapsed under the weight of public expectation and overdriven personality/ego, Made Out of Babies signal that a whole different scope must be used to see what is truly possible. Trophy, their debut, is a tight, strong, heavy, and downright tough record. It pulls no punches, and it never tries to bite off more than it can chew. The band is nearly flawless, giving the music momentum that borders on chaos, yet never spins out of control. Vocalist Julie Christmas is undoubtedly the star here, an in-your-face singer who never lets her "personality" get in the way of adding to the pummeling. While bands of similar style always came off as trying too hard, Made Out of Babies make it all seem so damn natural and easy on Trophy. This is a fantastic metal record ("Ire Fire" and "Sugar" being definite standouts) that proves there's space in the genre for a female vocalist without having to be some sort of overdriven Enya or some crazy baby doll dress-wearing cliché. A most intriguing beginning.

© Christopher M. True /TiVo