I admit I had some qualms about listening to a female-fronted metal band. No offense to my gender, but we don’t exactly have the best track record. (Ever tried listening to a Sinergy album all the way through?) Though they’ve been around since 2003, I never really paid attention to Sister Sin, but the fact that they’ve toured with Motorhead impressed me enough to go into this with an open mind. Okay I’ll be honest — a partially open mind.

And, joy of joys, they’re good! There’s an actual talented female in metal! Liv Sin’s vocals won’t be confused with an opera singer’s any time soon; they’re hard, brash and have quite the respectable screech, there’s plenty of rapid-fire harmonizing going on, and overall, it’s catchy, fast-paced, old–school metal with maybe a touch of sleaze thrown in there. Best of all, there are no slow songs. On the entire album. Yeah, how great is that?

The eponymous “Sound of the Underground,” with its wailing guitar and matching vocals, pretty much sets the tone for the rest of the record. “Better than Them,” is probably my favorite track, with it’s stamping beat and most righteous lyrics not so much as sung but spat out by Udo Dirkschneider (well, maybe his little sister incarnate), and though I am a sucker for a simple and memorable chorus, what’s better than chanting, “I am better than them, BETTER THAN THEM?” It does convince one, that yes, you are, in fact, better than them.

Meanwhile, “24-7” has kind of an ‘80s Judas Priest feel, minus the flair — which works in this case. I have to mention “Outrage,” too. Starting off with a steady beat of, “OI, OI,” and sporadic male vocal support, it’s probably the best song on the album.

There are many albums that get listened to once and then deleted forever from my life, but I’ll be keeping True Sound of the Undeground, because though it might not be anything new or groundbreaking, it sure does do the classic stuff well.

(4 out of 5 horns)

-LF