HARDWARES

The late Michelle Meldrum, former guitarist of the all-female rockers PHANTOM BLUE, is affectionately remembered in the afterlife by many friends and family who have kept her name alive. This is especially true from her musical compadres who finally have recorded and released this living tribute to her life, MELDRUM’s Lifer, four years after her passing. On Lifer, Meldrum lets her inner thrash metal persona loose and proves that she is a highly-qualified, versatile guitarist. Every minute detail of this recording was well-thought out, even down to the production job by Rob Shallcross (STRAPPING YOUNG LAD, GWAR, ZIMMERS HOLE). Drummer Gene Hoglan (EVERYONE), vocalist Michele Madden (TOURETTE’S, SAINT CECILIA) and bassist Laura Christine (WARFACE) complete the band. “A Toast to Romance” begins with a spelling lesson from Madden by spelling out the C word, used as a term of endearment, she states. The song is decorated with a sludgy, punky riff with some angry barks and squeals. With an in-your-face start like this, you just know the album’s going to be killer. The fast-paced rhythm and luring vocals of Madden on “Money Shot,” which she declares in a catchy tone, ‘Hanging at the Rainbow drinking Jack with Lemmy,’ makes it a fun song. Lifer is not only a tribute to a fallen friend, but it’s also some bad ass rock ‘n’ roll.