Kickin Valentina, Imaginary Creatures, Mighty Music Scorchin’ second album from Atlanta based self confessed ‘loud unapologetic rock n roll.’ Named after a fetish artist who liked to kick men in the balls there’s nothing subtle about what this band do. Prepare to feel assaulted in the ears, at least, in the best possible way. However, these guys know what they are doing, already award winning and with diverse influences from punk, sleaze, eighties, sixties and seventies rock and fifties stuff like when Elvis was raw, they’re rough and ready but they know what makes a tune. ‘Turns Me On’ is a Guns n Roses crossed with Faster Pussycat influenced classic in the making like a sucker punch to the jaw. However my favourite on the album is ‘Crazy’ which is a slower southern style track with a whisky laden vocal betraying a mature songwriting style that could be born from old souls with a lifetime of hard real life experience in Nashville now that it’s a rock n roll as much as a country town. ‘Heartbreak’ is another track that’ll make you think the band has had nine lives of sorrow such is the level of feeling. ‘Imaginary Creature’ is a bit of a metal anthem with some Teutonic influences and a memorable title track. ‘Devil’s hand’ has a Slash style guitar break to be admired and blistering solos abound across the album. Wherever guitar master Heber Pampillon has been hiding he’s been practicing and I was not surprised to hear he had studied classical guitar and teaches too. However, there is nothing pretentious about these guys. ‘She’s Street and I’m Trailer’ illustrates that these guys are never gonna forget their roots (which run river deep and mountain high). Finally, they have a very hands on approach with fans on social media and understand the metal tribe vibe of quality old Skool bands like AC/DC. One of the best albums I’ve heard for a while. Their debut album was a solid effort, but this new album is much, much better. If you wish you had been there when ‘Appetite for Destruction’ came out don’t miss the boat (or should it be night train) with Kickin Valentina. Dawn Osborne 10/10
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