The ’80s are very much alive, but in a reverse-lifetime-Twilight Zone sort

The ’80s are very much alive, but in a reverse-lifetime-Twilight Zone sort of way. Feel The Power incorporates all the long hair, leather pants, glam-rock antics of bands your parents listened to on LSD, but with a dash of metal timestamped 2012. A fun and upbeat mixture of over-the-hill groups now predominately featured on late night television box set commercials with all the technical prowess and emotion of modern metal bands, Blessed by a Broken Heart shine with a touch of something missing from the super-computer that’s been churning out the same song over and over on radio stations for the last five years. The record opens with “Deathwish,” a fast-paced, rad track with rolling guitars and popping snare, highlighted by the chorus, “Momma sold her soul to the devil, traded a kiss for a birthday deathwish.” The true gem, however, is “Love Nightmare,” which could and should have an entire review dedicated just to it. Beginning with a tearfully-beautiful slap-in-the-face of intricate guitar arpeggios before transitioning into a brief screaming breakdown, the song builds and folds and grows into something eerily similar to Avenged Sevenfold if they worshipped Dragonforce … with a touch of the vocal stylings of Atreyu before they sold out. With song names like “Thunder Dome,” “Holdin’ Back for Nothin’,” and “Rockin’ All Night,” it’s hard not to throw up your fist and bang your head. Blessed by a Broken Heart have done a rare thing, which is to tear down the wall built between metalheads and those who prefer their music not to sound like it’s being sung by an individual gargling glass. It’s peppy, energetic, addictive — but most importantly — incredibly impressive.Now “Shut Up and Rock.” Follow us on Facebook and Twitter