 Iacopa Mezzano www.melodicrock.it
Indipendenti,
auto prodotti e auto finanziati. E’ questo il primo ingrediente di unicità dei Sacred Heart, un progetto inglese
guidato dal frontman Paul Stead e che ha il pregio di regalarci ancora una volta musica di qualità mossa dalla sola
passione e dal carnale amore per la musica. Molti prendano esempio… E diciamolo subito, con questo Propaganda i Sacred Heart toccano il loro apice compositivo
di sempre. L’album si rivela essere, ancor prima che ottimamente prodotto (specie a fronte del budget non certo stellare
a disposizione), davvero entusiasmante e vario, pur essendo mosso da un filo conduttore unico che è quello dettato
dai brani Propaganda Part One in apertura e Part Two in chiusura, tracce stupendamente ragionate, dall’ottima atmosfera
e ben ispirate dai tragici fatti storici riguardanti i campi di concentramento, su tutti quello di Auschwitz che domina come
monito la copertina del disco.
Ma le due Propaganda non sono
le uniche tracce a stupire. Piacciono molto infatti le mid-tempo dense di feeling Can’t Breathe e Goodbye, le soffuse
ballads Paldies (Thank You) e You’re The One, ma anche la divertente Nothing at All e la ben più sostenuta (ma
pur sempre melodica) Spit, che si elevano comunque di poco sull’alto livello generale dei brani contenuti nel disco.
Insomma, zero filler per un lavoro tutto da gustare..
*For those of you who don't speak
the beautiful Italian langauge (that includes us!),
all you need to know is they awarded the album 8/10.
Zero Day Rock
Sacred Heart has been on the road for many
years, recording several demos and a
couple of full length albums. Note I said on the road and not in the business,
as they
always have self-managed all the band's artistic aspects. "Propaganda" is their brand new
album,
covering a wide range of styles from hard rock, rock&pop, melodic rock and
why not, classic rock.
Produced by the ex-drummer of
the band (who also plays keyboards on this recording),
Sacred Heart mix here serious and interesting lyrics with fun
and good time rockers.
After the dark instrumental intro "Everybody Falls", starts one of the best songs
on the album,
"Propaganda Part One". This is a strong hard rocker in the Dokken style, with a big riff and
a
pounding rhythm section. Very good lyrics about the Nazi death camps and
those who died in the massacre. It's
based on the experience of vocalist Paul Stead visiting
Auschwitz. Really good track including a thunderous guitar solo.
Follower "Can’t Breathe" is a great mid-tempo rocker with a dense riff but vocally melodic. It has
a
nineties vibe and again an accomplished vocal work. It is this kind of composition where this band
shine having
already demonstrated on previous albums.
Things
change radically on the next track "Nothing At All", a catchy poppy melodic rock song,
featuring some of the
band’s sing-a-long stylings.
Same on the generic and modern oriented "Never Let You Go" and the
more hard oriented and
effective "Spit". "With Open Arms" is a calm ballad with touching lyrics,
where the clean
acoustic & electric guitars are supported by strings.
"Goodbye" is another
semi-ballad but this time electrified with a really nice melody.
The "Part Two" of title track "Propaganda"
is beautifully arranged with a slow melodic line,
where the deep vocals are surrounded by atmospheric keyboards. After
repeated listens you simply
will love this tune.
With "Propaganda", Sacred Heart has set apart themselves to the crowd of the conventional UK
scene releasing a varied album with catchy melodic songs and good hard rockers for a good measure.
Add to this
meaningful lyrics, fine harmonies and really tight musicianship
and you have a convincing product, well produced and
recorded. I really like this bands own sound.
"Propaganda" is the best Sacred Heart work to date, diverse
and entertaining. Support this band,
who are going indie in all aspects and truly delivers good music. Well worth getting.
Jason Ritchie www.getreadytorock.com
Sacred Heart have come a long way since I first heard
one of their demo EP's nearly ten years ago. In fact you can hear for yourself on this new album as the 2003 version of
'You're The One' is on here to compare with its slicker 2011 update.
It is an album of two halves with the serious songs; 'Propaganda' parts
1 and 2 being based on vocalist/guitarist Paul Stead's visit to Auschwitz. Both are done very well, the first part one
of the band's heaviest songs (guitarist Mark Stephenson fair whips up a storm with his lead work) to date, whilst the
second part is an emotive vocal tour de force from Paul Stead. Quick mention to Alex Burke as well who adds a few keyboard
touches here and there which add to the songs.
'Goodbye'
is another very moving song about saying farewell to a loved one. 'We Stand (Hand In Hand)' continues the band's
ongoing support for the armed forces and again this is the sort of song only a band as experienced as these guys could carry
off.
There are still the good time
rockers, in the first single; the damn catchy 'Nothing At All' (one for daytime radio airplay that's for sure)
and shades of Buckcherry on the ode to a pole dancer, 'Spit'.
Five bonus songs include an edit of 'Propaganda Part 1' plus four demos from 2003. They
are not bad, 'Crazy World' and 'You're The One' are the pick of the bunch, but they are not a patch on
what the band can do now.
Quite
possibly the band's best album to date and one to please their growing fanbase. The band are determined to find success
on their own terms by independently releasing all their albums and with nay justice this one will be their biggest seller
to date.
9/10
Ian Johnson Fireworks Magazine
Hard to believe but British pop/rock band (their description) Sacred
Heart have now been around for almost seventeen years. What I particularly like about the band is their home spun, cottage
industry, way of doing things; the “lets do it our selves and stuff anyone who doesn’t like it” attitude.
They seem to revel in the proverbial Dunkirk Spirit. With ‘Propaganda’ the bands fourth album proper, Sacred Heart
seem to be getting stronger as both songwriters and musicians and with each successive release, they try to outdo what came
before.
Kicking off proceedings with the riff-heavy Dokken-like ‘Propaganda PT1’ a tribute to
both those who died in and those who survived the Nazi death camps, Sacred Heart seem to say we’re back and you know
that we mean business. ‘Can’t Breathe’ follows and it’s a mid-paced rocker with a great chorus - something
the band excel in. Paul Stead and his partners in crime then continue to stamp their authority all over this new release with
songs such as ‘Nothing At All’, ‘Never Let You Go’ and ‘Spit’, though I would like to
tell you about a couple of tracks that really touched me personally. ‘With Open Arms’ is a beautiful ballad where
Stead sings to his Father about all the things he did for him over the years, putting himself in harms way to protect his
son and loving him unconditionally. Having lost my Dad recently this song tugged at my heart strings and really moved me.
Then there is the stunning ‘Goodbye’ another track with powerful words that struck a chord with me,
and if you have ever loved or lost someone in your life you‘ll understand what I mean (isn’t the power of music
and lyrics a wonderful thing?). Finishing off with ‘We Stand (Hand In Hand)’ and ‘You’re The One’,
Sacred Heart have once again recorded a fantastic album full of catchy melodies big harmonies and clever, passionate and meaningful
lyrics, something bands with ten times the budget often fail to do. (As a bonus there are also five demo tracks added for
good measure).
Sacred Heart
never seem to get the plaudits they deserve but for a band with little or no financial backing they keep on fighting and with
the guts and determination they keep on going and will in the end I feel, win and win big. ‘Propaganda’ may just
be the album that helps them do it. Do, please check this album out at www.sacredheartband.com and be prepared to eschew any preconceived ideas you may have.
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