Beth Blade and the Beautiful Disasters – Mythos, Confession, Tragedies, and Love
Beautiful Disasters Records
Release Date: 08/07/22
Running Time: 40:03
Review by Laura Barnes
8/10
The cover of Beth Blade and the Beautiful Disaster’s third album is a haunting one. The grim reaper looms over a woman who has, seemingly, ripped open her own heart. Album covers – in my view, in any case – often act as promises to the listener. The smashed mirror of Black Flag’s “Damage” promised raw and unfiltered rage, and it delivered. The Vikings that populate Amon Amarth’s various offerings let you know that yes, this album is indeed about Vikings. Here, the cover of “Mythos, Confession, Tragedies and Love” promises precisely what its namesake implies: confessions.
The third album from Beth Blade and the Beautiful Disasters is clearly a very personal one, with vulnerability and hope imbued into every song. Soulful classic rock style vocals combine with crunchy, post-grunge style riffs and guitar solos that err just on the softer side of metal to create a slick and punchy slice of modern rock that feels meaningful and deliberate. Instead of merely following formula, Blade and her Disasters embrace uncertainty throughout “Mythos, Confession, Tragedies and Love”, in every sense of the word. Lyrically, Blade wrestles with nuanced emotions and situations, most notably demonstrated on ‘Sin Eater’ and ‘Hold Your Heart’. ‘Sin Eater’ is an emotional journey: what starts with ‘You can’t crucify me more than I’ eventually becomes ‘I am reborn / No longer fractured’ with a furious guitar solo for a tripling helping of catharsis. ‘Hold Your Heart’ is a mature ballad that goes beyond the usual don’t-leave-me! or I’m-so-sorry! territory that classic rock ballads tend to cling to. Instead, this track reckons with the experience of seeing somebody you love in pain yet being unable to help them. This poignant moment on the album shows just how far Beth Blade and the Beautiful Disasters have come since they released their first album of punky floorfillers back in 2017.
That being said, whilst this album does frequently venture into heavier territory, the punk and alternative rock influences remain an integral part of Beth Blade and the Beautiful Disaster’s music. ‘Tonight I’m With You’ is a joyful pop-rock anthem that wouldn’t be out of place on an Orianthi album, and undoubtedly a speeding down the highway, windows down, singing your heart out kind of song (and yes, I’m using the American word here, because there is absolutely nothing rock n’ roll about being on the M62), and bonus track ‘New York Time’ is a super fun earworm that could have easily slid into the Rock of Ages soundtrack without raising any eyebrows.
The competition for my favourite song on the album, however, has resulted in a tie. ‘Sacrifice’ and ‘Persephone’ are both equally innovative and layered. ‘Sacrifice’ sees every element of the Disasters come together to create a hook that is sombre yet still manages to pack a thunderous punch. The inclusion of piano and acoustic guitars uplifts the storytelling ability of ‘Sacrifice’; the moment when Blade puffs out her chest and belts out ‘You have no power over me!’ delivers the fierce impact that it has earned. ‘Persephone’, meanwhile, takes a more atmospheric route, with the kind of thick and tasty bass that keeps your heart pumping as you headbang away – and trust me, there’s a lot of headbanging to be done here.
So, what’s next for Beth Blade and the Beautiful Disasters? Having pushed their songwriting further than ever before, where can they go from here? Now that the band has a tight grip on their sound, the time could be ripe to let loose and take some risks. I would love to hear Beth Blade and the Beautiful Disasters with a more rough-and-ready production style that would really show off Blade’s vocal talent and allow each element of the Disasters to shine. Or perhaps even a live album! After an album like “Mythos, Confession, Tragedies and Love”, the sky is the limit.
TRACKLISTING:
01. The Otherside
02. Sin Eater
03. Tonight I’m With You
04. Who You Are
05. Hold Your Heart
06. Undo Me
07. Persephone
08. Ozymandias
09. Sacrifice
10. Trigger Warning
11. Still Not Asking For It
12. I Never Knew (Bonus Track)
13. New York Time (Bonus Track)
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