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Review: Hunter Valentine - Collide and Conquer [Album]

Megaforce/Sony // "This is an anthology of gritty, edgy, power rock, with dirty guitar and husky vocals, and is pure music sex"

by Ffion Davies +, October 10th, 2012 and has been Read 1674 times.

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I’ve been waiting a very long time for a band like Hunter Valentine to come my way. There’s been a huge gaping hole in music and finally, a threesome that have more than enough talent to feed a craving that the likes of the Donnas, Tsunami Bomb, Distillers and Tsuuli left me with, way back in the 90’s. Yep, I was a converse wearing, oversized hoody wearing skater girl who lived on watching free music channels at the dark end of the music selection on Sky. I was a Scuzz fiend, and once in a while, the Brody Dale and her gorgeous rep lipstick came on and tore a new musical ideology into my innocent little brain.

Hunter Valentine was founded in 2004, and after releasing an EP back in 2005 and a follow up full length in 2007 entitled The Impatient Romantic, they have been able to build a strong fan base, which is continuing to grow and grow now. Their music has been exposed to even more people after the band appeared on the latest series of the Real L Word, which is where I came across them for the first time. The trials and tribulations the girls experienced as a band and privately was showcased right in front of our eyes, which was interesting, to say the least! It was clear to see that these girls had as much passion for music as they did for girls.

WATCH // 'She Only Loves Me When She's Wasted' (Live)

The album, Collide and Conquer, didn’t live to expectation, but absolutely blew my expectations out of the water. This is an anthology of gritty, edgy, power rock, with dirty guitar and husky vocals, and is pure music sex. The seductive riffs, dowsed in drilling drums and moody yet demanding bass is an atmospheric cocktail that has the power to leave you in a drunken stupor. It’s that compelling.

Although there are some gripping aggressive songs on the album, there’s also a balance with a bit gentler tracks, which enables to showcase the trio’s diverse range and prove they’re not a one trick pony. Tracks such as ‘Nowhere to Run’ and ‘The Great Canadian Love Song’ are examples of their softer side, power ballads filled with passion yet still displaying their rock elements and utter desire to narrate their love stories without losing the dramatic blistering guitar riffs and the authoritative beats.



‘Liar Liar’ is a pulsating beast of a track, with Kyomi’s vocals sensationally raspy whilst maintaining an explosive level of theatrical yet devouringly morish melodies, a tumultuous testimony of female power rock. ‘This Bull Rides Tonight’ is another fantastic basement anthem, the best way to listen to this song is if you turn up the volume right up, leave your inhabitations at the door and let go completely. The galvanising heart beat of the drum encompassed in throbbing bass and that raspy vocal that will never get tiresome makes this a passion filled piece de résistance.

If you’re looking for an all girl band that’s gutsy, know how to play a blistering riff whilst screaming pure passion down a mic, then look no further than Hunter Valentine, the newest nu punk rockers in town.

Collide and Conquer is out October 23rd

Worth Listening To:

• This Bull Rides Tonight
• Nowhere to Run
• Liar Liar
• Pricilla
• The Great Canadian Love Song