For the past week or so I have been listening to this unsigned Italian band called THE FAMOUS X and their second release entitled “Deal with the Devil”. Their first release was a 3 track release but this time we are treated with 10 tracks.

“Sted” (Stefano Droetto, Highlord) has once again teamed up with singer “Andy” (Andrea Marchisio, also Highlord) and “Deal with the Devil” opens with a 45 second instrumental intro called “Electrifired” and then we get a real kick down the highway with “To Be a Zero” a track that needed a few spins in my hard-tried CD-player to blossom. But a track that shows that “Sted” (all guitars, bass, keyboards and drums programming) knows how to write a catchy riff.

Fans of HIGHLORD might expect pure power metal but the music could easily be described as hard rock/metal and the next tracks “Rock and Pose” and “Fury Road” shows that he’s not limited to one single sub-genre but like to explore his musical abilities. I’m especially fond of “Fury Road” that contains a chorus that sticks like glue but somehow I’m sure that I’ve heard this track before? But I can’t put my finger on where!

“U.H.T.” (Useless Human Toy) and “I Am Rock” are next and the heavy riff in “U.H.T” suits the track great. Groovy as hell. “I Am Rock” is a quite good up-tempo hard rocker but the chorus is not that catchy to me.

The next 3 tracks are taking from their first release, namely; the instrumental “A Perfect Fiasco”, “The Famous-X” and “Bullet Time” (inspired by the adventures of Max Payne). “Bullet Time” has grown to be one of my favourite metal tracks of all time because of the excellent guitar riffs.

Last we have a bonus track called “Pegasus Fantasy” (a cover track written by Yamada Nobuo and Make-Up).

“Deal with the Devil” needs a few spins to grow but “Sted” knows how to write catchy riffs and “Andy” is also delivering the goods especially in “Fury Road” and “U.H.T.” despite he was suffering from tonsillitis during the recordings. ( He told me so).

Check it out... but give it a little time to grow.