"RELIVE" Is Everything Under The Sun In Good 'Ol Fashioned Rock N' Roll

Jam-packed with rock tunes and pure awesomeness, The Mary Jane quite frankly has everything in “RELIVE”: instruments arranged to perfection, in-depth lyrics with soulful or guttural vocals to match, and a wide selection that screams alternative rock. In other words, audiences are in for a treat if they dig this genre.

Opening track “Casablanca” brings on great promise, serving as a forefront introduction for the type of tunes everyone will be hearing for the next thirteen songs. What stands out immediately is the distinct sound of guitar played with tubular slides, granting the whole thing an easy flow. Subsequently, “Through The Doors” is partially self-explanatory, with the words seemingly about making a name for the self: “All my life I was dragging a line … Trace my way to the fame”. The tones and quality of vocals are clean and clear, and the riff is easy to follow along to; the scream at the near end makes a mark on what to expect in this album.

“Let Me Out” maintains a steady rhythm and structure, and it sings about coercion of release, the screams of ‘let me out’ bring out raw and emotional energy. It also adds depth through the riffs by having more than one guitar variation, a commonality shared with “Salvation”, which also has a uniform progression, giving off a twisted, wicked anthem of an antagonist, something (or someone) between mystery and supernatural.

Funk elements peak through in a couple tracks. One of which is “Old”, a song that also withholds a thriller vibe with more emphasis on the bassline, the guitar offering slick undertones alongside it; there’s also a little whammy action to look out for in the end. Another would be “Merkuzio”, something that one would describe as ‘rock meets funk’. The instrumentals are catchy leading up to the solo, with a beat that will get you moving.

“Girl” would probably be the personal favorite out of all of them – the vocals are more pronounced, with everything else treading along. It gives you a glimpse from the perspective of someone who hasn’t been in love before. You’d get hooked with the lines “Won’t you read my signs I’ve put on the walls / Won’t you see me through? / I don’t know anything ‘til I met the other side of love”. It’s actually quite genuine and endearing once you get the hang of what it means underneath the signature hardcore sound. There’s a breakdown/meltdown-esque arrangement as well, and the tempo increases with the seconds, making you appreciate the song even more.

The song radiating thick-skinned vibes is “Gasoline”, a headbang-worthy song, as it all just screams greatness with the repetition of “We don’t care for gasoline” in the chorus. On the other hand, “No One” tackles going far and being authentic, exerting the same confidence as the last track, but this time it’s definitely chant-worthy. Up next, “International Cow Congress In Salzburg” instantly greets you with a thumping rhythm that will get you hyped. It has a subtle herder vibe, adhering to the title, but it captures intrigue to know more about it.

It’s safe to say that “RELIVE” imprints an image of a crowd in your head either swaying with their flashlights on or headbanging and screaming the words to all of these songs. “By The Way” captures the former thought completely, with an almost melancholic aura the way the lines are delivered: “You know it’s something good / You know it’s something better / Than you could ever choose / Whatever you may say / It doesn’t last forever / We never stay the same”.

“Get Me (Out Of Time)” is a mix of hardcore and unpretentiousness, an interesting combination of both worlds. The effect work for the solo goes crazy, however; it returns to tamer dynamics smoothly. The last two are “Smash It” and “Smash It (Electric Version), with the former being mostly acoustic and the sober side of things, and the latter offering more of an edgy twist (as expected), with some lines delivered in wicked screams and accompanied by fast progressions.

Overall, it’s a great album to get started on if you’re exploring the rock scene, and The Mary Jane doesn’t leave you hanging; it brings a loaded table, with much more options and tunes than you expected.