Danish metallers Pretty Maids have a solid core of followers here at GD. Admittedly, by 2002, one could theorize that perhaps their best days were behind them; the glory days of the late 80’s a far cry from their current position.
Written by: gdmonline
ARTIST: Pretty Maids
ALBUM: Planet Panic
LABEL: Massacre
SERIAL: MAS 0315
YEAR: 2002
CD REISSUE: Discogs Reissue List
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Denmark
LINEUP: Ronnie Atkins – vocals * Ken Hammer – guitars * Ken Jackson – bass * Michael Fast – drums
TRACK LISTING: 01 Virtual Brutality * 02 Playing God * 03 He Who Never Lied * 04 Face Of My Enemy * 05 Not What You Think * 06 Natural High * 07 Who’s Gonna Change * 08 Worthless * 09 One Way To Rock * 10 Enter Forevermore
RATING: 70/100
WEBLINKS: Site Link
Background
Danish metallers Pretty Maids have a solid core of followers here at GD. Admittedly, by 2002, one could theorize that perhaps their best days were behind them; the glory days of the late 80’s a far cry from their current position.
Though to be fair, the band had released many albums during the 90’s keeping up a consistent run rate of releases during that time. Some of them are pretty good actually, I did enjoy the semi acoustic ‘Stripped’ album from 1993, plus ‘Spooked’ from 1996, which seems to be a very popular CD for many of their fans.
Try as they did, to keep their rampant form of melodic hard rock in place, the band did become heavier as time moved on. You’ll definitely notice it on ‘Planet Panic’, with Ken Hammer’s guitars taking it down a notch or two.
The Songs
It’s apparent that Pretty Maids have been influenced by what was going on in the HM scene during 2002. ‘Virtual Brutality’ a heavy song which has more in common with the likes of power metal faves At Vance or Tad Morose. ‘Playing God’ is another heavy scorcher, which touches on the same subject matter that Italian metallers Vision Divine covered off on their 2005 platter ‘The Perfect Machine’.
I liked the raw ‘He Who Never Lived’ with its muscled up guitars, and a nice solo to boot. I like the way that ‘Face My Enemy’ morphs into a Thin Lizzy styled rocker, though initially it’s a bit heavier than our favourite Irishmen ever managed to conjure up. ‘Not What You Think’ meanders as a rocker with some symphonic leanings, the track title quite apt I reckon.
The band return to some of their 80’s melody on ‘Natural High’, with keyboards to the fore, it’s less about metal and more about a melodic form of rock. There are a lot of interesting parts on ‘Who’s Gonna Change’, but mostly it gallops along at a pace that Pretty Maids fans are used to. ‘Worthless’ shifts between heavier and quieter passages, the interchange not a convincing one, the lyrics aren’t that uplifting either.
The band blitz through a version of Sammy Hagar‘s ‘(There’s Only) One Way To Rock’, which is ok, but the original eclipses this version off the planet. Finishing off the platter is the ethereal ‘Enter Forevermore’, which floats on a bed of litling synths and melodious guitars.
From all accounts, this has a spiritual meaning, and considering the theme of the album (planet panic), the album is rounded off on a positive note.
In Summary
It would seem that Pretty Maids are caught in two minds with the songs on this album. Very a much responding to all the environmental issues going on around the world, and considering the events of 9/11 were much in the forefront of most people’s minds in 2002, the band responded by including material highlighting the issues of the day.
Probably not the most consistent of their back catalog ,nevertheless, Pretty Maids can still deliver a bundle of good songs on an album, and so it proves here.
Pretty Maids on Video
Click to go to YTM album page.
