Artist: Million Dollar Reload
Title: Anthems of a Degeneration
Type: Album
Label: Bulletproof 20/20 and Powerage Records

Million$Reload are back, not with a new record as such, but a remixed, remastered version of ‘Anthems of a Degeneration’ that came out a couple of years ago. Such is life that when a band this infectious come along, you don’t mind the re-hashed version, but this is a pretty remarkable version if the truth be told, all of the touches made and effort endured have encompassed M$R’s passion and talent for making classic British rock and roll.

Immediate introductions out of the way, musically, this is an album full of swagger, party anthems, and a real sense of warmth. Especially in the vocals, not many bands come out of these fair islands that produce such magic, or at least they don’t come around that often. If you want to reminisce, my thoughts about the impact of this band on me relate to watching Thunder’s first Donnington appearance on MTV (before Download festival days) in 1990 on the much missed Headbangers Ball, a while ago I know and M$R have that same effect to me all these years later. The music can floor you to the back of the room with the sheer quality and tone, a band producing tunes that should remain legendary for years to come. From the pumping ‘Tattoos & Dirty Girls’ to the soulful ‘The Last Icon’ (about those musical heroes sadly no longer with us), M$R have passion and it spills out into your stereo. Strong ballads like ‘Keep Holding On’ cut through you and attain this heart wrenching savagery into the required sustain filled solo that backs up the arrangement with perfection. Tunes like ‘Freeloader’ tend to get your body moving and adrenaline flowing in a way classic rocks bands used too and some of those hair metal bands did in the 80’s!

I have already analysed and outlined my passion for this album in its original form; this package and fresh artwork is a breath of fresh air to a sometimes-stagnant and stale scene. Full of rock n roll hero gusto sadly missing in bucket loads nowadays, M$R remind the listener of how to have a good time and not get bogged down with depressive, satanic or suicidal lyrics and arrangements. The good times are here, the good times are Million $ Reload.

http://www.milliondollarreload.com