I’ll be honest. A lot of posts on here are us playing catch up on something we wanted to feature but, for some reason or another (Read: there are still not 30 hours in a day), we didn’t. Which brings us to today and PLUSH who enthralled us back in February when they dropped “Hate”. We thought this hook-laden killer anthem was a classic then so imagine our surprise to learn that “Hate” is just the tip of the iceberg on a debut full-length filled with more tunes that Rawk even harder and give listeners thirteen tracks that are just as momentous as they are memorable.
Built from the skilled musicianship of drummer Brooke Colucci, guitarist (And current Berklee College of Music student) Bella Perron, bassist Ashley Suppa, and vocalist, guitarist, and songwriter Moriah Formica (Formerly of The Voice) while utilizing the master craftsmanship of producer Johnny K (Nonpoint, Disturbed, Sevendust, etc), PLUSH has crafted an enduring record that raises the bar of what a debut should sound like.
And it all starts with “Athena” which is, to put it simply, just neat all around. Yep, I said “neat”. Because it is. Glistening and ethereal to start like heralding an oncoming storm, the driving rhythm section of Suppa and Colucci pummel and pound with a righteous rumble as Formica and Perron’s guitars scream in sweet synchronicity with Formica’s soulful croon combining the power of both Wilson sisters (Heart) for one crushing opening bravado. “Champion” is your new favorite stadium anthem while “Found A Way” is a straightforward slamming rawker. Getting deeper into PLUSH’s debut and it’s like a mix of Hagar-era Van Halen with all the Soul and guitar virtuosity combined with some of the best Hard Rawk the mid-aught’s had to offer (Think Chevelle and Breaking Benjamin in particular).
But I digress.
“I Don’t Care” is another mammoth arena-ready mammer jammer with the most perfect sing-a-long moments followed by the (relatively) quieter “Sober” which hits home with a somber soliloquy that still kicks ass. “Better Off Alone” is driven by Colucci’s start/stop playful percussive pouncing with Formica’s intricate vocal melodies echoing the subtle shredding laid down between her and Perron. “Why Do I Even Try” ups the Heart vibes and hearkens back to that band’s early days with “Bring Me Down” entering next to bring a Bluesy beauty to the table with Formica belting out some bodacious bars as Suppa’s bass bears the low end load to build a solid sonic foundation. Closing with a trio of tracks that each highlight PLUSH’s lush and expansive musical palette, “Don’t Say That” is a glowing power ballad that’d seamlessly fit in during the power ballad heyday of the ’80’s, “You Will Not Win” is a Hard Rawker through and through with a Tool-like breakdown toward the conclusion, and “Walk Away” is an expansive aural experience that stomps until the very end.
You can have your own “aural Experience” by checking out PLUSH on the road with Evanescence and Halestorm to close out the year and then again in 2022 opening up the just announced tour from Slash and The Conspirators featuring Myles Kennedy. For dates and more, head here. PLUSH arrives through Pavement Entertainment on October 29th. You can pre-save your copy now through all your favorite digital services by heading here or head here for physical copies. For the latest on PLUSH, follow them across their social media pages by clicking here, here, or here.