ALEXA – Alexa

It seems to be a recurring theme nowadays; several great Melodic Rock or “Hair Metal” albums were released at the tail end of the 1980s and got lost in the shuffle of an overwhelming transition. That transition being “Grunge” led by the mighty Nirvana. In the States, this transition marked the demise of “Heavy Metal” as Americans knew it. It’s also peculiar how an album released in 1989 that garnered very little attention, is eventually re-issued (in very limited numbers) and then all of a sudden it’s going for a price tag as high as $150.00 USD on Ebay! Now 17 years later, thanks to MTM’s Classix division, this release, simply entitled Alexa, is deemed worthy enough of being completely digitally remastered and re-issued in 2006.

In today’s Metal scene, if someone were asked to name a female-fronted (vocals) band, many would probably respond with Lacuna Coil, Nightwish, Lunatica, Dark Moor … all reasonable Symphonic and/or Goth music references. Some old-timers perhaps might say Pat Benatar, Lee Aaron, or Femme Fatale … all reasonable Melodic Rock references. So how does a female vocalist like Alexa, aided by the “Golden Melodic Rock God” himself, Paul Sabu, as Producer/Guitarist, get lost in any kind of shuffle?

Alexa is the self-titled debut of vocalist Alexa (Anastasia), and was originally released in 1989. So how does it hold up as a re-issue in 2006? It holds up quite well actually, considering this re-release is 17 years later. Alexa’s vocals are outstanding as she is reminiscent of a combination of Lee Aaron and Lorraine Lewis (Femme Fatale), with a twist of Kim Carnes added for good measure. Also, a characteristic trait of such 80’s greats as Lee Aaron and Femme Fatale was the inclusion of the inherently short, sweet, stinging guitar solos … thankfully Paul Sabu is no exception here. The music is classic Paul Sabu, Hard Rock at its finest, and will certainly not disappoint fans of Sabu, Only Child, Lee Aaron, or Femme Fatale. The CD contains plenty of choruses, hooks, and aptly used keyboards. The Production (along with some Digital Remastering) has also kept very well, and along with the strong rhythm section, exudes an overall crisp and fresh sound.

If you’re a fan of any of Sabu’s other works, and you missed Alexa the first or second time around, then by all means pick up a copy. You’ll be treated to some inspired Melodic Rock sung by a very impressive female vocalist (in a refreshingly non-Symphonic/Goth environment) who seems to have, unfortunately, been overlooked and seems forever lost to the music scene. You’ll also be treated to some of the best guitar work Paul Sabu has ever done. Anyone have Alexa’s e-mail address?

Lineup

Alexa – Vocals
Paul Sabu – Guitars, Production
Tommy Rude – Keyboards
Murrill Maglio – Bass
Charles Esposito – Drums