Since there are 18 songs across all three EPs, I'm splitting this blog post into two parts containing nine songs each. That means part one (the post you're reading now) contains all of the songs on the first EP and three of the songs off the second one. I'll deliver an overall verdict for each EP and a final verdict for all 18 songs in part two.
Right, all clear? Thank fuck, let's get listening!
EDIT: Forgot to add this Spotify playlist of each song (original and cover, minus one original song). Feel free to listen to it as you read my write-ups!
ROUND ONE: Slave To The Grind
Skid Row - Not my favourite Skid Row track but a good Metal tune with heavy riffing and a catchy chorus. The solo's a little dull but I guess that's one of the drawbacks of moving from Hair Metal to Heavy Metal. Either way, it's got a punch to it and it's a good opening song to cover if the intention is to announce "Hey, we're fuckin' here!".
Halestorm - The difference in key hits you straight away but if I'm honest, I kinda like it. It makes the chorus sound a hell of a lot better and the main thing is the energy is still there. I expect I'm probably going to say this a lot but Lizzy Hale's vocals fucking rock and definitely keep up with the original. The guitar solo sounds a little beefed up as well so all in all, a great cover!
VERDICT - A very strong entry from Halestorm right out of the gate earns them a win here. They picked the right song to kick things off and whilst the Skid Row original is good, the Halestorm cover is fucking great!
ROUND TWO: Bad Romance
Lady Gaga - I don't mind Lady Gaga as a person; she seems pretty cool and the fact that she's a fan of Heavy Metal means that her music isn't your typical Pop shite. However, at the end of the day, it is still modern Pop and even though I like some of her tunes ("Applause" being the only one at the time of typing this), "Bad Romance" isn't a song I like listening to. The vocal melody she sings throughout reminds me too much of the intro to "Self Esteem" - The Offspring (a much better song!) and the music is just generic beats and synth. It's a vocally driven song, so I have high hopes for the cover!
Halestorm - See, this is what Lady Gaga could've released if she didn't sell out her musical taste for the easier opportunity for fame. Not only does this song sound fucking sweet now but Lizzy Hale pisses all over Lady Gaga's vocals. In fact, the entire band deserve a shout out here. They've taken generic Pop music and done the best they possibly could've done with the source material. It might not sound like an amazing Metal song but it's a hell of a good cover that treats the original with respect whilst also injecting new life into it.
VERDICT - Halestorm all the way. No doubt in my mind. Hopefully Lady Gaga has listened/will listen to their version and think "maybe I should write more tunes like this" before ultimately deciding she'd rather make a fuckton of cash selling more Pop singles.
ROUND THREE: Hunger Strike
Temple Of The Dog - I didn't want to write about this song/band/album in my recent Chris Cornell post because honestly, I fucking hate it. It's slow, it's depressing and the vocal duet does nothing for me. It might have some fine Grunge riffs but the soft guitar melodies mixed with the pained screeches of Chris Cornell are off putting. It's also a song in which nothing happens. It ends as it starts and by the time it's finished, you'll want your time back...or at least I did.
Halestorm - This song sounds like something you'd hear during the credits of a Michael Bay film. By that, I mean it sucks. It's a good effort and if you like the original, you'll probably enjoy aspects of it but Grunge fans likely won't. It's a bit too upbeat and whilst each band member is on top form (yes, including Lizzy Hale), it's nothing to write home about.
VERDICT - Tough call. I'm not a fan of either track but if I have to choose based on a mix of which track I'd rather listen to again and which track I personally believe is the stronger recording, I feel like awarding the win to both bands. However, since I'm trying to avoid this, I'm going with Halestorm due to personal taste. The Temple Of The Dog original is a better Alternative/Grunge track but at least the Halestorm cover doesn't fill me with the urgent need to switch the song off.
ROUND FOUR: Out Ta Get Me
Guns N' Roses - I didn't even remember this song off Appetite For Destruction and chances are I still won't remember it a week from now but if you want typical GNR, you get it here. Solid Slash work, Axl doing his thang, Steven Adler keeping the song together on drums and the rest of the band enjoying the ride. Personal opinions on Axl Rose aside, this is an OK Hard Rock filler track. Not "You Could Be Mine" or "Anything Goes" level but it's passable.
Halestorm - Musically, this sounds about as close as you can get to classic GNR. Vocally, it shits all over Axl; then again, the automated voice narration on laptops would give that washed up tosser a run for his money BUT AXL OPINIONS ASIDE, this is a great cover. Unfortunately, it's also a relatively easy cover. I'm not sure why the band picked this track as it's possibly one of the safest GNR songs to cover if you were worried about not doing the band justice; it would've been neat to hear them cover a bigger song, especially with the band's track record so far.
VERDICT - Definitely Halestorm. Guns N' Roses did a decent job of writing a middle-of-the-road Rock song but Halestorm kicked it up a notch.
ROUND FIVE: All I Wanna Do Is Make Love To You
Heart - We've had mediocre modern Pop, now it's time for mediocre 90s Pop! The weird thing is, this Heart song isn't even an original Heart track. It's based off a song from the 70s called "All I Want To Do Is Make Love To You" but with different lyrics. It's as radio friendly as an advert for PPI and it's as lame as Christian Hip Hop so why Halestorm would want to cover it is beyond me.
Halestorm - Yup, it's still rubbish. Of all the awesome Heart songs they could've picked, Halestorm went for one from their dull Pop phase. It might have heavier music and vocals but it still sounds like mid 2000s dirge from the likes of Paramore and other crap tween bands masquerading as Rock.
VERDICT - There wasn't a single aspect of either song I liked so I'm giving the win to Heart. Both songs are dull but at least Heart's version is closer to a good Pop song than Halestorm's cover is to a good Rock song, if that makes sense.
ROUND SIX: I Want You (She's So Heavy)
The Beatles - I've talked about this track before on my post on The Beatles: Rock Band but the summary is I hate it. It goes on for FUUUUCKING AGES at the end and the rest of the song, regardless of how good the bass is, fails to redeem it. Once again, I find myself asking why Halestorm chose this song to cover out of all the great Beatles tracks that would've transitioned into incredible Metal versions but I reckon the answer may have something to do with the fact that it costs an arm, a leg and a gallon of leprechaun blood to license The Beatles so this could've been one of the cheaper tunes.
Halestorm - Hats off to Halestorm, this cover actually has its moments during the shittier slow bits. It sounds like good Ozzy Osbourne and unlike the original, there's actually more happening. Lizzy's belting out vocals and the instrumental mix changes. However, the verses are weak. They don't sound right on a Metal song.
VERDICT - Halestorm took a terrible song and made it a bit weak. Even if it's still ultimately a loss, they did the best they could and therefore Halestorm have earned a win. They can pin it to their fridge, seeing as how much better wins are occupying their metaphorical mantle.
SCORES (ReAniMate: The CoVeRs eP):
Originals - 1
Halestorm - 5
ReAniMate: The CoVeRs eP rating: 8/10
ROUND SEVEN: Dissident Aggressor
Judas Priest - We're onto the second covers EP now and once again, Halestorm have picked a solid song to start things off. It's not as powerful as some of their later songs but it's got a good driving rhythm and some classic 70s Metal riffing. Halford's vocals in the chorus are good, though. A nice little back and forth with himself, which is also a good way to figuratively describe his attitude to performing "Breaking The Law" live nowadays...he jerks off, basically.
Halestorm - The music sounds heavy and the guitarwork is impressive although for once, Lizzy Hale's vocals don't quite do it for me. Her back and forth in the chorus sounds poorly mixed but otherwise, she kicks ass. However, compared to previous covers, it's a bit of a step down and I think Slayer's cover of this song is better overall.
VERDICT - I've got to give it to Judas Priest here. They wrote and performed a good song and whilst the Halestorm cover isn't bad, it doesn't bring anything new and exciting to the table like they did with other covers.
ROUND EIGHT: Get Lucky
Daft Punk - This song is catchy, I'm not denying that. However, it's also a bit...bland. It sounds like the kind of song written to be used in the background of a thirty second advert for Bet365, not something for millions of fans to purchase and listen to for four-six minutes (depending on which version you buy). However, if you like Funk, you'll probably get a kick out of this.
Halestorm - Not a bad cover! I love what the band have done with the guitar, giving it a "Dr. Feelgood" vibe with some little melodies in the verse and chorus (not to mention the small but tidy solo). As a joke cover (think some of the Children Of Bodom covers), this song rocks. As an attempt at a Metal version of a Pop song, it's meh with some strong elements.
VERDICT - It's obvious, isn't it? Halestorm gave us a fun Metal cover and a passable Metal song if you don't know much Metal.
ROUND NINE: Shoot To Thrill
AC/DC - The Iron Man 2 song in all its glory. Some good riffs and a catchy chorus, although the song does go on a little bit too long. However, the best parts of the song are probably the intro riffs and the outro solo...in other words, the bits used in Iron Man 2. Considering this song was on the first album released after Bon Scott's death, it's a pretty good tune to give fans confidence that the band could still Rock.
Halestorm - Of all the AC/DC songs to cover, this one's a good choice. Well known and easy to faithfully recreate. The main difference lies in the vocals (what a shocker!) and whilst I'm not the biggest fan of Brian Johnson, Lizzy Hale's voice sounds a bit tame here. I was expecting something a bit heftier from her but she must've recorded this cover on an off day. Shame.
VERDICT - The problem with covering AC/DC is that no matter how heavy your instruments or different your vocals, it will always sound like an AC/DC song due to Angus' ability to create iconic and signature riffs. Your only option is to try and match AC/DC's quality without changing too much, which is sadly what Lizzy Hale tried to do on vocals, hence AC/DC winning this round.
That's part one! Part two will be with you soon!
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