EDIT: Forgot to add this Spotify playlist containing almost all of the songs (most originals, all covers). Feel free to listen to it as you read my write-ups, although you might have to skip down a few tracks!
ROUND TEN: Hell Is For Children
Pat Benatar - One of Pat Benatar's better songs, even though everyone always uses "Hit Me With Your Best Shot" as their go-to Benatar track..."Love Is A Battlefield" is pretty awesome too, although this is the superior Rock song in her collection. Decent intro but when the song kicks it up a notch and bursts into an awesome guitar solo, Pat rocks out with her cock out. A damn fine Hard Rock track.
Halestorm - If you read my previous post, you'll know that I've been impressed with Halestorm's covers (and Lizzy Hale's vocals) so far. However, ReAniMate 2.0 has suffered from a significant step down in quality and this song is no different. The opening guitar riffs sound terrible and the verses/choruses are worse than the original. As for the awesome outro solo, it doesn't sound organic. It feels more like it was taped on because the original song had one that worked. It's not bad but it's pretty artificial.
VERDICT - It's a firm win for Pat Benatar, but Halestorm always had a tough job nailing a song this good on their own terms.
ROUND ELEVEN: Gold Dust Woman
Fleetwood Mac - This song's grown on me significantly over time. It's a gritty Classic Rock number about sex and drugs and even though it isn't my favourite Fleetwood Mac song, it's top 10. Sure, it may go on a little bit too long but the slide guitar and vocals make this song amazing. Definitely gonna be tricky to top this version of the song.
Halestorm - Fuuuuuck, well played Halestorm! This cover is as fine as gold dust (sorry) and I'm so glad the band didn't decide to make it heavy. The mix of acoustic and electric is perfect and the song doesn't last too long, unlike the original. Lizzy Hale crushes the vocals and even if Halestorm still haven't demonstrated high ambitions yet, it's good to hear a cover being knocked out of the park on this EP.
VERDICT - Did you not read the last paragraph? Halestorm win, although Fleetwood Mac deserve a shout out too.
ROUND TWELVE: 1996
Marilyn Manson - This guy's music sucks. This song didn't suck as much as some of his other material but it still sucked pretty hard. If you like screaming vocals, Industrial guitar and noise, you'll probably like this and might be mentally inferior to a child.
Halestorm - Well goddamn, Halestorm have done it again! They've taken all the best aspects of the original, removed the terrible element and thus improved the song tenfold. It sounds like a proper Rock song instead of a weird guy jerking off to a bunch of weirder teenagers. The only thing it's lacking is a bit of a punch, as the mix is kinda flat, but it's still a great cover.
VERDICT - It would've taken a fuck of a strong effort for Marilyn Manson to win this. He would've had to sing better vocals, get a better guitar player, completely change his sound and not be a terrible musician aimed at school "outcasts and lone wolves". Since that didn't happen, Halestorm win this.
SCORES (ReAniMate 2.0: The CoVeRs eP)
Originals - 3
Halestorm - 3
ReAniMate 2.0: The CoVeRs eP rating: 5/10
ROUND THIRTEEN: Still Of The Night
Whitesnake - The third and final EP (in this blog post) starts off with a hell of a track. This song has everything a top quality Hard Rock song needs: epic riff, rapid solo, catchy vocals and a decent outro. It's a shame the outro fades out and the slower section in the middle goes on a bit too long but otherwise, it's a killer track.
Halestorm - Clearly after the previous two EPs, the band realised that Lizzy Hale was the star of the show and as a result, this cover starts off with her vocals instead of the power chord slide on guitar. The rest of the song follows suit with an epic riff, a soft section in the middle and powerful percussion. Thankfully, the softer section has been cut down so it sounds more like a Hard Rock song.
VERDICT - Both versions are awesome and whilst I'll always love the original, I think I've got to give the win to Halestorm.
ROUND FOURTEEN: Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover
Sophie B. Hawkins - Is Lesbian Rock a genre? If it is, I imagine this song firmly belongs in it. Anyway, it's a decent song. Solid drumbeat, great vocals, some 90s Hip Hop elements because why the fuck not. Not much else to it other than that. Just flat out Lesbian Rock.
Halestorm - After removing the synth and amping up the guitars a little, Halestorm have turned Lesbian Rock into boring Hard Rock. It's not the best transition but it's a valid effort. However, there are dozens of better songs from the decade to cover that don't sound boring as fuck. It's even boring writing about it and I bet it's boring reading about it.
VERDICT - Both songs are boring but if you want 90s Pop Rock and 10s Hard Rock, Sophie B. Hawkins wrote the better song for the genre so she deserves the win.
ROUND FIFTEEN: I Hate Myself For Loving You
Joan Jett And The Blackhearts - Halestorm clearly picked the best songs for the first EP, huh. It's not a bad tune but it's as bland as Hard Rock with Punk and Blues elements gets. However, it was good enough for U2 to rip off with "When Love Comes To Town" so it must have some merit. Unfortunately, it has no merit for me.
Halestorm - As far as covers go, this one's pretty faithful. The guitar and vocals are all there, just plodding along to get to the end of the song. It sounds more like a tribute than the band attempting to take a song and make it their own but fans of the song should be pleasantly surprised.
VERDICT - I guess the Halestorm version's pretty good. I don't have anything against the original but there's only so excited I can get about bland music, regardless of how well it's covered.
ROUND SIXTEEN: Heathens
Twenty One Pilots - I'm starting to think Halestorm have a semi-shitty taste in music. Modern Pop with heavy guitars now and then is still modern Pop and even if the vocals and mix are decent, this song still sounds like something designed to be enjoyed by primarily assholes. However, it's a well known Pop song so I can understand why Halestorm would want to cover it.
Halestorm - This sounds more like a song suited for the film Suicide Squad, although I guess the Twenty One Pilots version makes sense seeing as how it sucks. The Halestorm version firmly plants it in the Hard Rock genre, even if it is shitty Rock. That seems to be one of the trends from these EPs, along with Lizzy Hale's awesome vocals. I'm starting to think Halestorm aren't as awesome as I've heard.
VERDICT - Even though Halestorm wins this round hands down, it's been a disappointing selection of covers so far. No matter, they still kick ass now and then.
ROUND SEVENTEEN: Fell On Black Days
Soundgarden - The best part of this song is probably the opening guitar riff, followed shortly by Chris Cornell's vocals in the chorus before he gets all shouty. The structure and mix have been well crafted too but it's the guitar that steals the show. It might be a well known Soundgarden song although it isn't one of my favourites. However, I can imagine it being a good Halestorm cover.
Halestorm - Lizzy Hale's vocals work surprisingly well in this song. The guitar is decent too with some neat effects used in the solo and there are many moments throughout the song where, if you didn't know any better, you could assume it was an alternate Soundgarden take. It's one of the closest things to an ambitious cover Halestorm have recorded for these EPs and even then, it's still not a big deal.
VERDICT - There's no other version of this song that does the material justice in the same way as the Soundgarden original so I have to award them the win. Props to Halestorm for still writing a good cover though.
ROUND EIGHTEEN: Ride The Lightning
Metallica - OK, I can forgive some of the song choices now. Most people would call Master Of Puppets the superior album and title track combo but I'd choose Ride The Lightning over that any day. This song contains awesome riffs, a badass solo and some of James Hetfield's angriest vocals recorded on a good Metallica track. A top quality Metallica tune to end the covers EP.
Halestorm - Oh God, that opening guitar sounds terrible. At least the verse riffing sounds better and Lizzy Hale rocks the fuck out of the vocals, although still doesn't come close to Hetfield in the chorus; she pretty much just shouts them. However, unlike most of the previous covers, the solo is a very faithful recreation of the original. Well played both literally and figuratively.
VERDICT - Hmmmmm, tough decision. Halestorm did a smashing job of covering this song but I have to give the win to the one, the only Metallica.
SCORES (ReAniMate 3.0: The CoVeRs eP):
Originals - 3
Halestorm - 3
ReAniMate 3.0: The CoVeRs eP rating: 4/10
FINAL SCORES:
Originals - 7
Halestorm - 11
Looks like Halestorm crushed the competition, although that's mostly down to their first EP. The other two were meh. If they record a fourth covers EP in another couple of years, hopefully they'll choose more 80s Pop songs and less modern shite to recreate.
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