Animalyze – ‘Powerhouse’

With that rich rock and metal heritage in mind, the latest Danish band aiming to live their own Hans Christian Andersen-like rock n roll fairytale is Animalyze! The band, consisting of Vikki Mahrt (vocals), Mike Lauren (bass), Clay Ronson (guitar) and Chris Clark (drums) has gone from strength to strength since joining forces with legendary Danish music manager Ken Anthony and will release their debut album ‘Powerhouse’ through Steelheart Records on 9th June 2025. With some energetic live performances, singles and music videos released, anticipation is high amongst rock fans and music critics. But will ‘Powerhouse’ live up to the hype and help take Animalyze to the next level?

A wailing siren provides a throwback to Thin Lizzy’s ‘Jailbreak’ on the opening of title track ‘Powerhouse’ before Clark’s drums make way for a joyously nostalgic, chugging riff and bass that nods to early Judas Priest. Mahrt’s vocals have the timbre of Saxon’s Biff Byford with the power of Accept’s Udo Dirkschneider whilst Ronson wastes no time in proving his guitar chops with some sizzling solos. The classic “whoa, whoa” in the sing-along chorus will surely go down a treat with audiences in a live setting too. Great start!

‘Hunter of the Night’ continues the classic rock theme, with more driving bass, more guitar riffs and another earworm chorus that will have you singing along during the first listen. Driven along by Lauren’s rock-solid bass, this is another song that could’ve graced Hollywood’s Sunset Strip in its 1980s heyday, with a strutting riff and air guitar-inducing guitar solo, all held together by a glue of sleazy, almost sneering vocals. Think Cinderella… think Rainbow Bar and Grill… and you’re in the right ballpark!

If I was to hazard a guess, I’d say that the pomp-rock of very early KISS was an influence on ‘Beauty is a Killer’. With a dancing bass, great vocal harmonies and a general feel-good vibe that makes you want to bop and dance, this is a fantastic tribute to 1970s rock; so much so, that I can almost smell the leather and hairspray from my stereo speakers! It makes me think of the gritty, smoky streets of New York and legendary venues such as CBGBs, when glam rock was cool and anything went!

There’s a much heavier and harder edge to ‘Trigger of Love’ as it bursts out of the speakers like Ratt in late 1980s. Mahrt’s vocals appear more menacing, as if he really means business, whilst Ronson’s solo evokes images of a long haired, six string master standing on top of monitors and under the spotlights, mesmerising the pretty girls in the front row of the audience. It really is a time and place kind of track!

‘Hot But Dangerous’ is another track that could be straight out of the Ratt songbook, with an opening riff to die for and some seriously sexy lyrics… just like they used to be in the 80s before everyone became so scared to complement someone on their looks! “She’s oh so sweet. She’s dangerous to me. Hot. Hot. Hot” sneers Mahrt, as Ronson’s guitar soars sweetly in the background. This is pure musical nostalgia, reminding me of a time when songs about good looking women ruled and a female muse was a common inspiration. Great stuff indeed!

With the sound of a revving motorbike engine starting the track, you know exactly what you’re getting with ‘Wild for Free’ before it even finds its groove. It’s high energy, hard rocking, classic rock, with a Motley Crue-vibe that’s… well… better than current day Motley Crue! ‘X-Medication’ continues the early Crue vibe with a vocal performance that is reminiscent of a young Vince Neil, whilst the rock-solid rhythm section of Clark and Lauren could challenge Tommy Lee and Nikki Sixx any day of the week! Punch your fists in the hair and let me hear a “hey, hey, hey”! ‘Pleasure and Pain’ returns to the sound of early Judas Priest heard at the beginning of the album, with chugging riffs and vocals performed with real Rob Halford-like attitude, whilst Ronson’s guitar solos sound inspired by the Downing/Tipton twin guitars of the legendary metal band’s heyday.

‘Dr Feelgood’, ‘Calling Dr Love’, ‘Doctor Alibi’, ‘Doctor Doctor’; hard rock bands love songs about the great medical profession… and Animalyze is no different! Penultimate track ‘Dr Chemical’ is a big, bombastic number with a brilliant, classic Winger sound and Def Leppard vocal harmonies that Joe Elliott et al would be proud of. It’s got everything you want in a rock song and is this writer’s favourite track on the album. This would be the perfect soundtrack for a music video (hint, hint!!!) with a sound so big that it would fill any arena! The album closes with ‘Kings of the Night’, an energetic rocker that allows Mahrt’s voice to soar, Ronson’s solos to shine and a drum and bass rhythm that’ll make your speakers shake. It’s the perfect way to end an album.

Throughout this review, I’ve mentioned many legendary classic hard rock and metal bands. That’s not something that I particularly like to do in reviews, as too many comparisons can muddy the musical waters. So, why mention Judas Priest, Cinderella, KISS, Ratt, Motley Crue, Winger and Def Leppard at all? Simple… because with Animalyze’s Powerhouse album, that’s exactly what you get! It’s all those classic bands and everything that made them great melded into one fantastic debut album. It’s huge choruses, soaring vocals, mammoth guitar riffs, searing solos, driving bass and thundering drums all brought together with a cliched and unapologetic nod to the sounds and vibes of 1980s Sunset Strip. It’s a time capsule of everything that was great about that long gone and much missed era when hard rock really mattered… and it’s something that fans of that bygone age need to hear again.

If Carlsberg did 1980s inspired hard rock bands… it would sound like Animalyze!

Powerhouse is due for release in Europe on 9th June 2025 with a further release planned for Japan. Pre-order your copy now!