Female fronted hard rock act Hydrogyn hammer home the notion that you can be sultry without sacrificing the heavy on their latest 10-track sojourn DEADLY PASSIONS. Liberally borrowing from the best end of ’80s hair metal while adding in a slew of keen production tricks (the male background vocals are particularly stellar) and razor sharp riffs from modern day rock, tracks like the catchy “Seroquil,” “Candles Light Your Face,” and “On and On” pack the punch of Pat Benatar on steroids while album opener “Rejection” pounds out a relentless guitar and drum rhythmic pattern exhibiting the band’s comfortability with bearing its teeth. Lead vocalist Julie truly illuminates the offering with her well-rounded powerful singing, properly fitting the mood across the duration of the disc’s crests and waves, shining brightest on the Desmond Child-esque ballad “Shadow.” Despite the lack of ingenuity in Hyrdrogyn’s recipe for rock, this squad’s potent blend collects the best from numerous different flavors of rock through the years to form a formidable contender for mainstream accolades worldwide. www.demolitionrecords.com –Mike SOS