Going to Hell
The Pretty Reckless
Released by Universal Music
Over the last 60 years, various rock and metal artists have declared that rock is dead. From The Doors to System of a Down, musicians have noted the declining role the genre has played in influencing society.
At the risk of sounding sensational, Taylor Momsen and the Pretty Reckless are at the forefront of a revival of rock n’ roll with their new album, aptly named Going to Hell.
It’s raw, unadulterated, and stripped down, but it’s also personal, vulnerable, and real.
While I have yet to make up my mind on whether there’s a story the album is trying to convey, the opening song “Follow me Down” is nonetheless the overture for the album.
Beginning with some deliciously suggestive moans from porn star Jenna Haze, the rest of the band kicks in with heavy guitar and bass riffs interlaced with Momsen’s husky voice as she accentuates each succulent syllable.
While the hard rock band’s first album Light Me Up dealt primarily with the theme of lost innocence, the 20-year-old former actress and her band weave together a tale of emptiness and resignation as they detail how far they have morally fallen.
Momsen recites a list of her crimes in the power metal album title track, incites rebellion on the Pink Floyd-inspired anthem “Heaven Knows,” and teases playfully in the catchy blues song “Absolution.”
The climax of the album comes as Momsen teams up with guitarist Ben Phillips in the intricate metal duet “Sweet Things,” where Philips introduces Momsen into a dark world, with the promise to paint her up just like a drag queen.
The dynamic shared between Momsen and Philips is deep, chilling, and wholly unique, leaving listeners to hope the pair will continue to explore that relationship on future projects.
However, for all of its anger and depravity, the album is also filled with regret and longing.
The power ballad “House on Hill” and acoustic track “Dear Sister” hint at Momsen’s longing to return to her lost innocence, while “Blame Me” and “Burn” speak of desperation and escape.
The album concludes on a soft and emotional note with the Bob Dylan-inspired “Waiting for a Friend.” I could keep writing about the beauty and sadness of this swan song, but I’ll let you experience it for yourself.
In Going to Hell, the Pretty Reckless produced a mature and powerful masterpiece that showcases just how much the band has grown.
Guitarist Philips, bassist Mark Damon and drummer Jamie Perkins deliver intricate and powerful performances, while Momsen explores the full range of her smoky voice, from angry growls to warbling and vulnerable sighs.
The album isn’t subtle.
Still, Going to Hell definitely delivers. It’s stripped down to the bare minimum, but that is what a true rock album should be anyways—raw and emotional work drawing from a variety of influences.
