SONIC X – Sonic X

Canadian’s new Hard Rock quartet Sonic X definitely delivers the goods. With raw 90s- inspired Hard Rock, their sound resembles old Skid Row, back when they had Sebastian Bach as their frontman.

Their sound is powerful, while not falling into Metal clichés. Their songwriting is cohesive and consistent, creating a very good sense of identity. Being that Sonic X is a debut album, it’s surprising to see such achievement within so little time of the band being together.

Heavy riffing, tight drums and bass work, screaming vocals, and long solos — it’s all in there. Although the Hard Rock style has its roots in the 80s, Sonic X’s music sounds very fresh, and probably will stay fresh for years to come.

The opening track, “News For You,” shows Adam Troy’s aggressive, but non-offensive, singing. The guitars add spice to the mix, while drums and bass walk tightly together to form a great basis for what is a great track. With some Metal elements added to the Hard Rock foundation, this track will stick in your head after the first listen.

With a country-like acoustic intro, again not sounding dated, “City of Sin” has an Extreme and Mr. Big feel to it. 90s Hard Rock is what comes to mind, with some Bon Jovi poured in around it. The ever-present harmony choirs are featured here too, and are really convincing.

Ever had sex over the phone? The “Two Sides To Every Story” lyrics have that as its theme … nicely arranged, with another catchy chorus and great vocal harmonies. Again, Sonic X left their mark on this one, while staying true to the Hard Rock genre standards.

Breaking up the mood, “Witches Den” delves into a more Metal-influenced sound. It’s impossible not to compare Adam Troy’s singing to Mr. Big’s Eric Martin … their voices sound really alike, with Troy being more aggressive. The main guitar riff is a clever one, and really memorable.

“Lonely Heart” is the inevitable heartbroken song in Sonic X. With some influences of Europe and Progressive Rock present, this one even has some nice keyboards at the beginning. The song’s not a ballad, but it surely breaks the mood once again, adding to the overall experience of hearing the full album.

“Obsession” begins with guitar harmonies and can sound almost too Metal for the average AOR fan. Apart from the somewhat catchy chorus, this song has no highlights.

You may be fooled into thinking you’re listening to a Mr. Big ballad, but “Season Change” is a Sonic X special, with passionate vocals by Adam Troy, and European Hard Rock influences on the chorus.

Arena Rock at its best, “Broken Wings” is a song that is invariably better experienced live than on the record, as you can feel the audience reacting to its blasting guitar riff and catchy sing-along chorus.

Closing this great album, and leaving you wanting more, is the somewhat experimental “Feed the Flame,” which has Guns ‘N Roses influences all over it, with a guitar riff that reminds of “Welcome to the Jungle.” The chorus has screaming high pitched vocal harmonies, showing off all of Adam’s versatility.

Since you’re still reading this, go know to Sonic X’s website and order your copy now! If it were still in the early 90s, this band would be topping all charts around the world. The only thing lacking is the recording quality, which could’ve been better, but since it’s a debut record, it’s acceptable.

Lineup

Adam Troy – Vocals
Lawrence Falcomer – Guitar
Joseph Cumbo – Bass
Michael Marquez – Drums