review by Mike Bond

MCQUEEN - BREAK THE SILENCE

" Angry, determined, melodic and brutal, McQueen pack quite a punch on their debut album, BREAK THE SILENCE, one listen and you're hooked."

Track Listing > >

MCQUEEN - BREAK THE SILENCE
Neurotic / Dirt / Running Out Of Things To Say / Break The Silence / Numb / The Line Went Dead / Blinded / Bitch / Not For Sale / Don't Know How To Break It To You
DEMOLITION RECORDS

Rocking like The Distillers before they discovered major label record deals, million dollar production studios and the sweet smell of sell out - McQueen are a Brighton based punk rock four piece that get up in your face like a sledgehammer.
Debut album BREAK THE SILENCE is a record of in your face vocals, massive riffs and thunderous drum beats, a collection of songs designed to be blasted at full volume at all times. Opener NEUROTIC is brutal and incendiary, with a sly sense of vitriolic humour, frontwoman Leah Duors' spits out the words, a sharp tongued cross between Brody Dalle, Louise Post and Donita Sparks. On RUNNING OUT OF THINGS TO SAY Duors spits out the lines with venomous anger - darkly brutal, yet infectiously pop at the same time. The sugar pop rush of DIRT, throws delicious melody into the punk mix; Duors launching headlong into the catchy choruses and turning McQueen into a rocking mix between L7, Veruca Salt and early Distillers.
Title track BREAK THE SILENCE finds McQueen taking a side-step into bolder sounding territory, the heavy riffs intersped with moody goth rock interludes and almost tender sounding moments; the band taking elements of Deftones and Tool and introducing them into their work.
The more straight forward punk rock thrills of NUMB is perhaps a slight backstep musically, but nonetheless enjoyable and in-your-face for that, a song complemented by another huge sounding melodic chorus. McQueen crash back into full on punk rock mode for the explosive BITCH and BLINDED, the guitars once again bursting out of your speakers in a squall of righteous distortion. The explosive NOT FOR SALE is reminiscent of early Hole or Babes In Toyland, punk aggression peppered by moments of caffeinated pop release, Leah Duors' vocals veering between anger and joy with reckless abandon. Climaxing with the punk pop (DON'T KNOW HOW TO) BREAK IT TO YOU McQueen expertly bridge the gap between the Foo Fighters and Veruca Salt, on an infectious slice of brilliant alt-rock glory that ends things on one massive final high.
McQueen are like a kick in the balls and a kiss on the mouth both at the same time; impossible to ignore and hard to forget, frontman Leah Duors is a star in the making. Angry, determined, melodic and brutal, McQueen pack quite a punch on their debut album, BREAK THE SILENCE, one listen and you're hooked.

BIOGRAPHY
This coming January (22nd) sees the release of McQueen's debut album "Break the Silence" on Newcastle based Independent Rock label Demolition Records.
The album was produced by up and coming producer Richie Kayvan in between a healthy touring schedule that's spanned the last two and a half years with tracks being ferried to the U.S. to Evil Joe Barresi producer of QOTSA and Tool to mix.
Since forming in November 2003 Brighton based McQueen have been busy playing alongside everyone from Juliette and the Licks , Viking Skull and The Foo Fighters through to acts as diverse as the Towers of London , Mad Capsule Markets and the Kaiser Chiefs .The band even appeared on the recent Dirty Sanchez tour.
This year has seen the band sign to independent rock label Demolition Records home of many great new and old rock acts from the likes of Electric Eel Shock through to Hanoi Rocks and Twisted Sister. Prior to signing to Demolition McQueen also inked a string of separate international deals with a number of independent labels around the world including Mercedees Records in Finland and Rubber Soul Records in Australia (MGM distribution) who will all also be releasing the album. "Break the Silence" is currently set for January 22nd 2007 release and the band will be heading out on their first headline tour in support of its release.
Here's what the UK rock press has had to say about McQueen:
Leah Duors' confrontational strut comes across like she's ready to take on the whole world. Their aim is to recreate pure Sunset Strip sleaze, an eyeliner smeared Duors' whisky-sodden voice snarling over punchy rock n'roll.' KERRANG!
McQueen play filthy punk rock, chock full of the type of catchy riffs and anthemic choruses that the music scene has been lacking so severely recently.' BIG CHEESE
These sisters have wasted no time in doing it for themselves, showing up their counterparts whether male or female in the process. They're hell bent on putting the grittiness back into female-led rock n'roll.' ROCK SOUND

LINE UP
Leah Duors
Hayley Cramer
Cat de Casanove
Sophie Taylor

DISCOGRAPHY
BREAK THE SILENCE (Demolition Records>2007)
Neurotic
Dirt
Running Out Of Things To Say
Break The Silence
Numb
The Line Went Dead
Blinded
Bitch
Not For Sale
Don't Know How To Break It To You

LINKS
McQueen>www.mcqueenmusic.com

FURTHER LISTENING
Veruca Salt
Babes In Toyland
Hole

Review date: February 2007