Artist: Hydrogyn 
   Title: Deadly Passions
   Label: DR2 Records

Hailing from Kentucky USA, Hydrogen deliver a punch that like being hit by an express train full of whiskey (what a way to go).  A rock extravaganza that mixes Hard Rock with Metal Guitars to produce a sound that is exciting and fresh, with the incredibly powerful vocals of Julie Westlake being just one of the many highlights. 

The incredible tour de force that is new album 'Deadly Passions' hits the mark from the off with ‘Rejection’, an all out metal sensation with the vocals of J Westlake letting their presence be felt from the off, along with guitarist Jeff Westlake's sterling riff building, this is hard hitting rock n' roll full of female infused angst.

As the album unfolds it clear that the Westlake’s have the bull by the horns with some quite delicious HARD and DIRTY rock, with tracks like ‘On And On’ with it's delightfully mellow start, before the track simply explodes into a mix of light and dark and ‘Your Life’ with it's all out riff filled splendour.

When I first put this CD on there was a certain Canadian that Westlake reminded me of with the angst filled vocal style and when the hard hitting angst of the title track ‘Deadly Passions’ faded out and the intro into the next track, the light bulb above me went on as ’You Oughta Know’ the Alanis Morrisette cover put my mind to right, the similarities between the two vocalist styles is uncanny.  Both seem full of vim and tear at the very hearts of men. 

The hard hitting rock is truly in abundance on this album as it continues with the modern ballad ‘Over You’, a song very much in the Evanescence vein and track of the album ‘Candles Light Your Face’.  Another gentle ballad that really brings out the best in Westlake’s vocals, then it's power all the way with ‘Seroquil’ and Silent Animation’ before the album closes with ‘Shadow’, another slower more ballad like track that again shows what power and grace Julie Westlake has.  This ends a really great album and of the two album released this month by female fronted bands by D2 this is without a doubt my favourite.

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