The Divine Madness- Precious

Likely to draw comparisons to such notables as Evanescence, Hollywood's The Divine Madness flash mainstream appeal and underground chops on their debut EP, Precious. Featuring 5 tracks of melodic-yet-epic, synth-heavy, goth-infused alt rock, the disc is both consistent and impressively performed and produced. Fronted by the powerful-yet-sultry vocals of Victoria Mazze, the band's blend of strong keyboard melodies and electronics, steady rhythms, and distorted guitar riffing draws from both the modern and retro, sometimes showcasing a distinct 80s bent bubbling beneath the surface.

Opening with the radio-friendly rocker "Closer", shuffling drums beneath its moody but powerful delivery, and ending, appropriately, with the lovely piano and string ballad "Redemption", there's really not one even remotely bad song to be found here. The bass groove and lovely layered vocals of the disc's title track make it another noteworthy offering, but it's the other tracks that make up the EP's creamy center that really shine. "The Future" showcases an almost early-Numan-esque synth bass riff and a particularly catchy chorus, making it one of the disc's standouts, but it's the incredibly infectious, new-wave-infused dance rock of "Crawl" that blows everything else out of the water.

With material that is both club and radio friendly, well written, and sonically compelling, The Divine Madness are likely to make a big splash with a full-length on the way and a debut EP that rivals and, in many cases, triumphs over its major label competition. With both mainstream and underground appeal, this one's highly recommended.