Extreme are a band much misunderstood. Dismissed by some as Poison era glam rock and by others as a balladeers. When in truth they were neither.
Extreme were always closer to Queen, Aerosmith, The Beatles or Led Zeppelin than Motley Crue or Whitesnake. With Brian May himself describing Extreme as “real friends”. Brian also honoured the band by saying that “more than any group on this planet, they understood what Queen and Freddie have been about.”
Extreme’s true gift was the partnership of singer Gary Cherone and guitarist Nuno Bettencourt, backed by the immense bass master Pat Badger. Nuno’s guitar-god like status was sealed with 1990’s ‘Pornograffitti’. And in 1992 Gary evolved into a mature lyricist with the album ‘III Sides to Every Story’. Since then we’ve had two more albums but their musical output is where Extreme sadly diverged from Queen. That’s not to say the band haven’t been busy. But on record at least, it’s been a patient and passionate wait for fans.
The Rise of SIX
Then suddenly out of nowhere, like Wonka opening the doors to his factory, cryptic little morsels of music appeared on social media. After a 15 year wait, new music was finally coming…
And now ‘SIX‘ is here, an album that literally bursts out of the gates with the now familiar ‘Rise‘. A song that provides a fresh statement of intent from the band. Heavy guitars and yodelling shouldn’t work this well. ‘Rise‘ is also the first Extreme song to feature a writing collaboration with the hugely talented Jordan Ferreira. We have an exclusive interview with Jordan coming soon, where he talks about ‘Rise’. Dispelling the Stone Temple Pilots comparisons and revealing who the song’s real influences are.
#Rebel/Banshee
‘#REBEL‘ and ‘Banshee‘ quickly follow, keeping up the pace and ferocity with Daltery like screams and finger-bleedingly fast guitar solos. These are the heaviest songs Extreme have ever recorded, yet somehow the band have retained their USP of killer riffs, catchy melodies, well crafted and meaningful lyrics. These songs stick to you like a booger you just can’t flick. Additionally, trademark harmonies fill the air. Harmonies that were often abandoned on 1995’s grunge reaction ‘Waiting for the Punchline’, whilst retaining Punchline’s raw sound.
Rainbow
‘Over The Rainbow‘ offers some calm after the storm. A song that had people chomping on the bit, after an accidental leak on iTunes furnished some lucky souls for rent. The latest song to be released as a single, this deliciously catchy tune shines a light on Extreme’s softer side. However, ‘Rainbow‘ avoids retreading old ground and there’s no stools, lighters or acoustic guitar slapping here. The solo is characteristically epic and one Nuno has described as his favourite on the album. It also features some soaring vocals and harmonies, not heard since their 3rd album’s ambitious 3rd side.
‘Small Town Beautiful‘ is a song you’ll instantly fall in love with. A duet between Gary and Nuno, Gary’s voice has never sounded more beautiful. It’s also proof that his velvet tones haven’t abandoned him, or been ravaged by the harder songs. Nor was it harmed by his stint in Van Halen. This is a track that feels the most like classic Extreme and has those Queen vibes found on ‘III Sides‘. Gary echoes Freddie Mercury and Nuno’s guitar solo is also pure Brian May, channelling the godfather’s phaser soaked treble boosted bends.
Starting with a heavy, dance influenced bass line, ‘The Mask‘ doesn’t even sound like Extreme. Nuno said “Expect the unexpected” but I didn’t expect this. It’s both experimental and heavy. Additionally, Nuno takes on verse duties and flexes his voice in new directions for this industrial-tinged track. It’s at this point you realise you’re going to be caught out at every turn. There’s also a hint of Nuno’s solo work here. It feels like ‘The Mask‘ could have been on either of his ‘Schizophonic’ or ‘Population 1’ albums. Except here we’re blessed with the gift of Gary, Pat and drummer Kevin Figueiredo, elevating the track to new heights. ‘The Mask‘ grows and changes throughout its 4 mins and 14 seconds, giving us new layers to unpick and to discover with every listen.
Get The Funk In
Known in their early days as a funk metal band, ‘Thicker Than Blood‘ is by far the funkiest track on ‘SIX‘. The song is again laced with some wicked dance vibes, reminiscent of the excellent deep cut ‘Never Been Funked‘ which was exorcised from ‘Waiting for the Punchline‘. It feels like the type of song that would have been cruelly dropped by a record company with an agenda, as was the fate of ‘Never Been Funked‘. With ‘SIX‘ however, the only agenda is great music. This is a song I hope they play live, and would be a great opener just as ‘Funked‘ was on the Punchline tour.
Speaking of tours, Extreme are embarking on a world tour in 2023, supported by Living Colour (see below for dates). There are so many great new tracks I hope we get to hear them live. The entirety of ‘SIX‘ with some back catalog classics would be bliss and here’s hoping that we get more than just an airing of the singles.
Expect the Unexpected
No Extreme album sounds the same but on ‘SIX‘ no track sounds the same. The album literally doesn’t sound like anything the band have done before. Yet despite all this and there being no discernible concept (something Extreme have embraced in the past), all the elements that make up Extreme are present. ‘SIX‘ is both modern yet timeless, it is an album for Extreme fans of any and all eras. And this isn’t a band relying on past glories; they aren’t a retro, heritage or nostalgia act. This is a vital band that has something important to say, both lyrically and musically. And if there is a theme or concept, then it’s the return of great rock music that isn’t afraid of itself.
‘Save Me‘ opens with a melodic harmony, then quickly flips. Bloody hell, Nuno said “Expect the unexpected” but this even applies within the same track. ‘Save Me‘ also boasts the most Van Halen-like all of ‘SIX’s‘ guitar solos. In awe, Nuno effortlessly glides across the fret board with a tasteful flourish of tapping and arpeggios. As with all great guitar solos, this is a song within a song. It’s a piece of music that both stands on its own yet belongs entirely to the track. ‘Save Me‘ also has industrial hints, reminiscent of ‘East of Paradise‘ from Gary’s hiatus band ‘Tribe of Judah‘.
Extremtronic
‘X Out‘ provides us with some more 80s electronic rock joy. It’s also another departure for the band, with only Gary’s operatic voice giving us a clue that this is Extreme. Bands often try to diversify but never has it been more natural or successful than on ‘SIX‘. There are moments throughout ‘SIX‘ that are reminiscent of Gary and Nuno’s solo works. These, although great, often felt like a vital ingredient was missing. And that ingredient was the partnership of Gary and Nuno. Like all great partnerships, Lennon and McCartney, Jagger and Richards or Townsend and Daltrey, a magic happens when they write and perform together.
There’s a beautiful duet between Nuno & Gary in the form of ‘Hurricane‘. This has shades of ‘Rise N Shine‘ from ‘III Sides to Every Story‘ and Punchline’s ‘Midnight Express‘. There’s also some Queen style acoustic guitars that could have come from ‘A Night at the Opera‘. This is also the best Nuno has ever sounded vocally. Furthermore, it’s the only song on ‘SIX to feature a string arrangement. The inclusion of strings seals ‘SIX‘ as an album for all fans. Despite not sounding like any other Extreme album, there are still the roots of everything that has come before it.
For ‘SIX‘, the band have brought in number of co-writers. A first for the band outside of the Extreme circle. This includes friend of Bad Tattoo Jordan Ferreira. Jordan along with the other guests have helped invigorate the band with youthful energy, modern rock sounds as well as retro vibes, whilst still sounding 100% and undeniably Extreme.
With its cool and relaxed charms ,’Beautiful Girls‘ is a summer dance song that brings to mind Sugar Ray’s ‘Every Morning‘. A song perfectly timed for summer and if you played it to anyone, even an Extreme fan, it’s unlikely they’d know it was them. The guitar solo also has an inventive Brian May twist. Additionally, it feels like there’s a hidden depth to the subject matter. It’s a song that isn’t quite all it seems on the surface, all wrapped inside a calypso rock-fun-bubble.
Here’s To The Losers
‘Here’s To The Losers‘ wraps up the album with an anthemic farewell. The song is an operatic adventure that feels like a thank you to the fans who have stayed loyal and supported the band for all these years. There’s flavours of Queen’s ‘We Are The Champions‘, The Beatle’s ‘Hey Jude‘ and John Lennon’s ‘Give Peace a Chance‘ here. It’s also fitting that as ‘SIX‘ has a number of new collaborators, this a pure Bettencourt and Cherone composition. The song leaves us with a gorgeous crowd harmony reprise that brings joy, celebration and tears that ‘SIX‘ is over. ‘Here’s to the Losers‘ is the perfect end to the album. It also brings with it some sadness that it’s over, to which the only cure is to listen to ‘SIX‘ again, and again.
After 15 years, the first new music from Extreme has been delivered. And it’s one of those rare albums that demands to be put on repeat. There’s so much to discover with every listen, and each time there’s a new favourite moment or track. I could have listened to another 12 songs and still wanted more. Here’s hoping there’s an epic backlog of B-Sides, rarities and unreleased material to come – which I have on good authority ranks among the best music the band have ever written. Could this be Extreme’s ‘A Night at the Opera‘? If so, then I hope ‘A Day at the Races‘ is just around the corner. But until we get that or any new music, we have ‘SIX‘, an album that firmly places itself amongst the best the Extreme have ever released.
Rating: 10/10
EXTREME – “THICKER THAN BLOOD” GLOBAL Tour Dates 6/2 Sao Paul, BR – Best of Blues and Rock Festival 8/2 Portland, ME – State Theatre # 8/3 Hampton Beach, NH – Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom # **SOLD OUT** 8/5 Boston, MA – Roadrunner # 8/6 Huntington, NY – The Paramount # 8/8 Reading, PA – Santander Performing Arts Center # 8/10 Sayreville, NJ – Starland Ballroom # 8/11 Hartford, CT – Webster Theater # 8/12 Glenside, PA – Keswick Theater # 8/14 Detroit, MI – St. Andrews Hall # **SOLD OUT** 8/15 Milwaukee, WI – Pabst Theater # 8/17 Gary, IN – Hard Rock Live # 8/18 Minneapolis, MN – Skyway Theatre # 8/19 Cedar Rapids, IA – The Paramount # 8/21 Denver, CO – The Ogden # 8/22 Albuquerque, NM – Revel Entertainment Center # 8/24 Anaheim, CA – House of Blues # 8/25 Reno, NV – Silver Legacy Resort Casino # 8/26 San Francisco, CA – The Regency # 8/28 Portland, OR – TBD # 8/29 Seattle, WA – The Showbox # Australia 9/6 Perth, AU – Regal Theatre # 9/8 Adelaide, AU – Hindley Street Music Hall # 9/10 Melbourne, AU – Forum # 9/12 Sydney, AU – Enmore Theatre # 9/13 Brisbane, AU – Fortitude Music Hall # Japan 9/17 Sendai, JP – Sendai Gigs 9/19 Yokohama, JP – KT Zepp Yokohama **SOLD OUT** 9/21 Tokyo, JP – Hitomi Memorial Hall **SOLD OUT** 9/22 Tokyo, JP – Hitomi Memorial Hall 9/25 Nagoya, JP – Shimin Kaikan Hall 9/26 Osaka, JP – Zepp Namba UK and EU 11/27 Newcastle, UK – O2 City Hall # 11/28 Glasgow, UK – O2 Academy # 11/30 Manchester, UK – O2 Academy # 12/1 Wolverhampton, UK – Civic Hall # 12/3 Bristol, UK – O2 Academy # 12/4 London, UK – O2 Forum # 12/8 Pratteln, CH – Z7 Konzertfabrik * 12/10 Berlin, DE – Huxleys * 12/11 Cologne, DE – Live Music Hall * 12/12 Amsterdam, NL – Melkweg Max * 12/14 Antwerp, BE – Trix * 12/16 Milan, IT – Alcatraz * # with Living Colour * with The Last Internationale https://extreme-band.com https://www.facebook.com/extremeband https://twitter.com/ExtremeBand https://www.instagram.com/extreme_band https://www.youtube.com/user/OfficiallyExtreme
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