As each year goes by, more and more NWOTHM bands seem to transition into hard rock/AOR acts. Striker have comfortably assumed status as the heavy metal Loverboy, while the last Enforcer album was their most accessible yet. Joining their ranks is Hitten, who started as high speed power dealers, only to end up with one foot planted in L.A. glam metal and the other in hard AOR. There’s no other way to describe their latest studio album, Triumph & Tragedy: A 45+ minute exploration of all things big haired and neon lit.
A key ingredient in Hitten’s musical evolution was the addition of singer Alex Panza, who also sings for glam revivalists Cobra Spell and cult veterans Jack Starr’s Burning Starr. While Panza’s voice is most definitely suited to handle the Thundersteel worship of Hitten’s first two albums, it’s much more melodically dynamic than predecessor Aitor Navarro. Think somewhere between Sebastian Bach and Klaus Meine. He can hit those high notes smoothly and with ease, which really elevates this album to another level.
Triumph & Tragedy opens with the hellaciously hedonistic “Built to Rock”, a rager of a track with ridiculous soloing and carefree spirit. It’s more characteristic of a band coming out of L.A. circa 1983 than Spain circa 2021, although the same can be said for the anthemic power of “Meant to Be Mean” and streetwise sleaze of “Ride Out the Storm”. The aforementioned Scorpions influence extends beyond Panza’s vocal delivery. “Hard Intentions (Secret Dancer)” displays a strong Scorps influence, with its punchy riffing and twin guitar harmonies baring the Schenker/Jabs trademark. Meanwhile, “Light Beyond the Darkness” tows the line between hooks and heaviness, reminiscent of the Blackout era.
When they aren’t paying homage to the ghosts of Sunset Strip past or Germany’s greatest export, Hitten manages to throw in a touch of AOR, as heard on cuts like “Eyes Never Lie”, “Core of the Flame”, and “Under Your Spell”. Granted, it’s AOR through an 80s hard and heavy filter, so think FireHouse or Odyssey era Yngwie Malmsteen, but still AOR nevertheless. Rounding the album all out is the 11 minute (!!!) title track which is half arena metal, half Iron Maiden inspired jam. Could this be the world’s first “progressive glam metal” song? Perhaps. It’s certainly an ambitious track to close an album of this nature, and part of me questions its place on here altogether. However, it’s not shabby at all and really showcases the band’s musical chops.
The new Hitten prioritizes hooks, melodies, and choruses over heaviness. Some may complain about that, but I certainly can’t. There’s nothing wrong with this approach when done right, and Hitten does it right. Triumph & Tragedy is by no means the definitive 80s throwback of the year (that title goes to the new Crazy Lixx album), but it’s bound to appeal to fans of the era. So bust out your spandex, spray your hair, and put on your lipstick like nobody’s watching…or don’t, but it would be more fun if you did.
7 out of 10
Label: High Roller Records
Genre: Glam Metal
For fans of: Scorpions, Dokken, Crazy Lixx