Klara Force (guitar), Ida Evileye (bass), Nicki Wicked (drums), the  ¾ of the 2016 dissolved Crucified Barbara, along with Jonas “Skinny Disco” Kangur (guitar) bassist of goth metallers Death Stars, along with frontwoman/singer Pepper Potemkin (vocals) are The Heard.
One might say that they are the sequel to Crucified Barbara, and it is certain that it is an already musically firm band. Their musical proposal is moving away from dynamic – straight forward modern hard rock. Their debut “The Island” is a concept album and musically moves into the broader area of hard rock, with obvious influence from Ghost (thus 70’s occult and 80’s). Two other groups that came to mind when I was listening to the album are Lucifer with this year’s “II” and the lighter, Italians Belladona (noir-rock).

The most important feature of the album besides being full of good riffs, nice flow and ideas, is that it supports an interesting concept of an island where imagination and reality coexist. The songs are short stories of dark atmosphere and mystery, with the female element prevalent (Sirens, Witches, Queen Scarlet).

Very interesting album with consistency and passionate theatrical performances by the burlesque artist – Pepper Potemkin (who makes her dream come true, for the first time in a rock band and gives the best of her), introduces a liberated band (as far as the 3 former Crucified Barbara members are concerned) with great inspiration that sets strong basis for the future.

I really liked the second part of the album (after the instrumental “Caller of the Storms”) that I think is more metal and epic. In any case, it has really good flow and can/must be listened form the beginning to the end as one story, like Queensryche’s “Operation Mindcrime”.

A hard rock release that should not go unnoticed. If you like dark / gothic stories, female / rock vocals and even just one of the bands mentioned above, it’s worth checking them out.