Label : Standby Records
Review by Tony Cannella
Picture Me Broken is a melodic hard rock/modern metal outfit from California. The band is fronted by vocalist Layla Brooklyn Allman. She is the daughter of classic rock legend Greg Allman. They released their debut album “Wide Awake” in 2010 and have now issued their new EP entitled “Mannequins”. This is my first exposure to Picture Me Broken and it is already evident to me that this band has a lot to offer. “Mannequins” is only 15-minutes long and for that time the band shows what they are capable of.
The opener “Torture” is a good start with plenty of melodic and catchy hooks. The next song “Mannequins” is my favorite. It opens with a classic sounding metal riff as the song really takes off with a gritty, down-and-dirty vibe. Vocalist Brooklyn Allman alternates between a strong, clean voice and screaming vocals. Next we have the ballad “Beautiful Disguise” which does a nice job in slowing the tempo and providing a bit of a breather, Brooklyn’s vocals are especially emotional on this track. PMB returns to rocking hard with the final track “Nothing Further From the Truth”. “Mannequins” is a cool EP which highlights the musical diversity of Picture Me Broken.
I would never be so bold as to peg someone as the “next big thing”, but with “Mannequins”, Picture Me Broken delivers a 4-song whirlwind of an EP that is sure to have the music world buzzing. Well, it’s hard to predict such things but I hope that is indeed the case. The bands next full-length is titled “Corrupt Me” and should be available soon.
Rating – 95/100
Tracklist
- Torture
- Mannequins
- Beautiful Disguise
- Nothing Further From the Truth
Line Up
- Layla Brooklyn Allman – Vocals, Keyboards
- Dante Phoenix – Guitar
- Jimmy Strimpel – Guitar
- Austin Dunn – Bass
- Shaun Foist – Drums