#VAGABONDZREVIEW: PERFECT CRIME - ACTION REPLAY

The best way of starting the spring is to listen to a new record. In case one of your favorite bands is releasing the record, it must be something to remember!

I finally got my very own copy of upcoming record made by Russian hard rock maestros Perfect Crime under the terrific title Action Replay. The EP is set to be released on March 3rd on all streaming services.

The year of 2023 is going to be significant for Perfect Crime. It’s been whole ten years since their debut self-titled album release, and of the top of that, the band has finally made us something really new and exciting to enjoy.

Perfect Crime - Action Replay

Bio

Perfect Crime was founded in 2010 in Moscow, Russia. Through the years, the band has gone through several line-up changes, but despite that, the members managed to preserve the chemistry that is clear for any long-standing listener.

In 2013, Perfect Crime set the bar high with their debut album release that can be undoubtedly stated as Russian Appetite for Destruction. Thanks to its enduring rebellion spirit and remarkable song features, the band gained recognition in their native city. Withstanding spirit of fulmination and rebellion blistering in Watch Out, Into The Light, Call of my Heart is smoothly contrasting with powerful ballads like Lookin’ For and One More Time.

In 2019, two amazing things happened for Perfect Crime. Their sophomore album The Battlefield saw the light late autumn and right before the long awaiting release, Perfect Crime got a chance to perform as an opening act for Scorpions in Moscow. The Battlefield has become the logical extension for the debut album, where deep and touching ballads are impregnated with authentic classic rock spirit of Bon Jovi, Scorpions, Motley Crue, Steelheart, Guns N’ Roses and highly contrasted with blasting riffs inspired by classic heavy metal.

For the last couple of years, the band presented a quantity of cover versions, including Living out of Touch (Kingdom Come), Cats in the Cradle (Ugly Kid Joe) and Can’t Stop Me Lovin’ You (Steelheart). On March 3rd of 2023, the new EP Action Replay will see the light.

Now it's time to go through Action Replay!

Pray

The chapter of Action Replay is opening with Maiden-style intro – the reference I haven’t heard in Perfect Crime music before. It can be characterized as an instrumental part powered by high tempo drums and relatively fast guitar riff that often contains looped elements. What is more, the looped elements are usually complemented with stable, deep and airy snare that takes the entire domination on achieving “Maiden effect”. Iron Maiden tend to use this technique in most of their songs, mainly in intro or much appreciated prolonged bridges.

Pray is slowly coming to life with looping pattern of lead guitar riff and smooth and powerful rhythm guitar stroke that have been preparing us for the vocals to join the game.

Similar to the song intro, the verse seems to be another surprise for me as long-standing listener of Perfect Crime. Beyond the shadow of a doubt, the vocal technique of Ivan Noskov keeps developing in incredible aspect – his progress can be followed throughout records. Something I find fascinating this time is the brutal power behind the song – this vocal technique is inherent to heavy and (especially) power metal singers. The transitions from one song part to another are smooth, the changes in pitch are mild and I daresay effortless that can be the true evidence of hard work behind the rehearsals.

In addition to fantastic vocal technique, guitars are something that significantly light up Pray. To begin with, the guitar sound is a bit modified to heavier side thus creating differing imagery of Perfect Crime – the ones who’re opened to experiments and development of their style.

What comes in surprise, yet another one, is the spoken part in bridge. I can hardly remember any in earlier works, but for Perfect Crime it’s really curious and captivating part along with bell sounds presence in sound panorama. This is real leveling up for the band, because using such elements can tell a listener of growing professionalism and freedom in songwriting. Before that, Perfect Crime tend to hold to traditional song structures, similar to the bands made the greatest impact on their music. Now the things seem to be totally changing and the band is opened to experiment even more than before.

One of the main factor of any song is a guitar solo. Long or short, advanced or plain, the main feature of a great solo is to be blasting and remarkable. I could give solid A to the guitar solo of Pray as long as it’s the pure f’n adrenaline. To be honest, it has to be the most advanced and kicking one from Perfect Crime and their lead guitarist Valentin Dmitrichenko, who keeps leveling up his enormous guitar skills. The guitar solo has a lot to do with Maiden, although I hear the most familiar elements to my heart – slowing downs after so damn fast picking. I always associate such change with Santa Cruz music (written before 2018) and their top of the grade guitar work, often claimed as one of the biggest Finnish glam rock bands... of the past.

The thunderous outro of Pray is something to enjoy before we switch to the next song. It’s gripping and powerful, the sound that definitely suits this heavy song written by the band. Despite the fact that I consider Perfect Crime to be fully settled band, with their very own approach to songwriting, Pray is the evidence of the band authentic style to be developing and upgrading.

Action Replay

The title song of the album has naturally astonished me… Astonished good! To be honest, I’ve thought for a moment that I’m listening to some metal band than hard n’ heavy representatives I always knew.

Filled with brutality and invincibility, the entering guitar riff is all about to be the main mood driver of Action Replay. What comes in surprise for me, the brutality of guitar riff is assisted with keyboards, something that isn’t often used in Perfect Crime music. The entire sound palette (soon to be supported by vocals) sounds convincing enough to state that this song reflexes dark passion and fire coming out of bewitchingly enchanting guitar riff.

Chorus of Action Replay brings some airiness, and same time it’s the most explosive part of the song. The secret beyond the energy situated is the slower tempo that makes all instruments sound with feeling.

Action Replay is the perfect battlefield for the guitars action. No doubt, it’s leading the song forward, both in sound and playing respect.

Action Replay is a bolt of lightning of the EP. Both holding lighter and darker sides, it opens the new Perfect Crime for me. I have never thought I’d hear something that HEAVY and METAL from Perfect Crime. As for the title song, it presents the authentic image of the record. However, deep inside I believed that one day the band would change course to heavier side.

Madness

Slow and confident intro of Madness pictures a long-awaited single from your favorite band. Heavy guitar riff opening on the background has always been one of the most intriguing ways to start a kicking song, and surely, Perfect Crime prepared us something staggering.

The guitar riff of Madness becomes my top favorite on the record. Not to mention Metallica’s classic heavy metal sound impact, Motley Crue’s vibes can be detected across Madness; the riff itself is hold plain and looping when the drums (namely snare) are scratching it all the way, making it gleaming and energetic.

On the point of verse joining the game, I can refer entire sound of Madness to Motley Crue, and namely their Same Ol’ Situation performance. It’s same lively and exhilarating, making you wanna jump.

Madness is another great example of developed the classic Perfect Crime sound. The amount of melodics remained significant, despite the fact of overall heaviness of the song. The guitar melody used in chorus awakes the memories of debut self-titled Reckless Love album, and I even feel the pinch of melancholy appearing there.

Intriguing keyboard melody with a pinch of melancholics fully contradicts arriving lead guitar melody. Written in the best traditions of 80s hard/glam rock, it could definitely be represented in some earlier Guns N’ Roses or Skid Row albums.

Nothing's for Free

Nothing’s for Free is the powerful demonstration of epic and rock n’ roll side of Perfect Crime. It’s light, airy and melodic, and the greatest deal of these features is demonstrated in chorus. Making a reference to the song mood, I call to mind Paradise City (Guns N’ Roses – Appetite for Destruction, 1987), Nothing Compares to You (Santa Cruz – Screaming for Adrenaline, 2013), Off The Grid (Temple Balls – Traded Dreams, 2017). The mentioned songs, including Nothing’s For Free by Perfect Crime, have many features in common. The leading one is true rock n’ roll vibes radiating happiness, freedom and a bit of carelessness – even music videos of the following songs are including fun times at summer festivals and backstage footage. Possibly, Nothing’s for Free might get the similar music video one day?

The song part that naturally beams is the main bridge right in the middle of the song. Whatever making it sound that positive, the guitar melody or distinct vocals, is making true magic to Nothing’s for Free and its perception. The afterglow of main bridge can be easily followed in the last chorus that is becoming more expressive and melodic.

Everything Important

Action Replay is a true representation of heavier and metal side of Perfect Crime, the side I haven’t predicted to appear. Although the band still tend to hold to their hard n’ heavy imagery, Action Replay is a brave step forward for Perfect Crime.

In my latest reviews, I was speaking of the importance of carrying out an experiments when songwriting, pointing out that developing inside your own imagery was vital for any band. However, you can never be sure whether you fail or not, so it’s always important to take it easy. Action Replay is another record proving that developing inside your own genre is winning situation. At least for Perfect Crime.

Through years, Perfect Crime proves that their bold and firm sound is the basement of a true rock song. Action Replay is an apogee of sound performance ever made by the band – on this stage it’s perfect. It’s a delight to listen to the mixture of stable rhythm section basement and empowered guitars and vocals – you can feel how the band keeps opening up, showing up their growing skills.

Madness and Action Replay are the greatest astonishment for me as a long standing Perfect Crime listener. The guitars and vocals are working on maximum degree, proving that the modifications are good for them, when Pray and Nothing’s for Free remain the true examples of hard n’ heavy background of the band.

If I could offer something for the band’s next record, I’d definitely like to hear something on the basis of Madness and Action Replay (of course with hard n’ heavy elements!), as long as they are something that’s turned my perception upside down.

The name Action Replay speaks for itself – the new record Perfect Crime is going to present has exceeded all my expectations. I always knew there weren’t any weak songs released by Perfect Crime for all those years, but Action Replay is totally new level for the band’s music. Whether it’s a ballad or a kickass rock n’ roll song, Perfect Crime will make it the best possible way.

Action Replay by Perfect Crime is set to be released on Friday, 3rd of March. The EP will be self-published.

Special thanks to Valentin Dmitrichenko.