A new chapter has begun for Michael Orlando. After a horrific bus accident that almost took his life, Orlando spent three long years trying to recover, fuelled by the dream of creating a new band. Dead Girls Academy was born with the collaboration of Falling in Reverse’s Ronnie Radke, and the debut is a blazing display of Orlando’s pent-up rage.
Orlando’s wrath is evident in opener ‘Medicine’, as he offers no apologies for dishing out the cold hard truth, while ‘No Way Out’ is a blistering manifestation of punk rock that throws you right into the fiery pit. Most of Alchemy reverberates with raw melodies and sharp-tongued lyrics, which strip away the layers of wrongdoers and reveals them for what they really are.
‘Everything’ is confronting and digs past all the facades to expose the naked soul, while ‘Conversations’ is dark and brooding. Orlando means business, and he’s not treading lightly. Closing song ‘Far Away’ is softer than its predecessors but nevertheless hits home with its display of vulnerability. Alchemy is a fiery and fantastic listen to help release your pent-up emotions.
8/10
