Artist: McQueen  
   Title: Break The Silence
   Label: Demolition Records

Hailing from Brighton this four piece female outfit have made their mark on this reviewer on a number of occasions first catching them live in support of Blackie Lawless’s WASP and secondly with The Almighty, and then on their headlining tour earlier this year to promote the 'Break The Silence' album which eventually reaches our office so I can give it the review it deserves.

The band led by the vocals of one Leah Duors are all attitude and angst, that's what makes these girls the force to be reckoned with, especially the live arena.  Now this same angst is portrayed on record with Duors leading the way with her gritty anger filled vocal style on the opener ‘Neurotic’, with fine support by the guitar of Cat De Casanove and the thumping rhythms of Sophie Taylor on bass guitar (who since this album was recorded has been replaced by Gina Collins) and Hayley Cramer on drums, this opener definitely sets the ball rolling for the rest of the album.

The same full on approach is continued with the rip snorting assault that is ‘Dirt’, this is the band at their sleazy best with Duors punching out the vocals while Casanove just melts the fret board with some excellent guitar work that puts many of the young male guitarists to shame.

There is simply no holding back on this album as the band keep it strong with one of my favourite tracks from the band ‘Running Out of Things To Say’.  This is another track where Casanove really lets fly while Cramer and Taylor really thrash out the back beat.

The title track ‘Break The Silence’ leads you into a false sense of security, just as you think the band are starting to soften things up within the first few moments of the song, then Duors reaches down into the very belly of hell and unleashes an ear bleeding vocal on the chorus and well and truly shatters the myth of the band softening up.

It's back to the more sleaze punk feel with the fast paced ‘Numb’ and another of my personal favourites ‘The Line Went Dead’, which once again Duors delivers some of those trade mark angst filled vocals with a thumping back beat by Cramer backed by the fast fingers of Casanove.

The guitar work of Casanove is once again highlighted on the next track ‘Blinded’ before they really pick things up with the Ramones styled ‘Bitch’.  Then it’s the track that usually opens the bands shows and makes the audience sit up and take notice ‘Not For Sale’.  On this one Cramer opens things up before Duors takes the lead and really sets things straight with the male sex on this girl power anthem.  Never mind the likes of The Spice Girls or the Pussycat Dolls, these girls will kick your head in if you give them a wrong look, so watch out boys!

The album closes with ‘Don’t Know How To Break It To You’, another great no frills song that hits you like an bag full of feathers tied to an express train and wraps up one of the finest debuts you will ever hear and one that will win the band an veritable army of fans.  If you see the band advertised to play a venue near you check them out because they are all the more spectacular live.

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