Scratching Post Ð Hell On High Heels
By Martin Popoff

OK, I must admit Scratching Post diva Nicole Hughes is all that and more, but the gratuitous Crue reference comes also from the striking fact that the cover art for this third full-length (plus one highly collectible debut EP) from Canada's baby doll metal rockers Scratching Post is strikingly similar to that of Motley Crue's New Tattoo album.

But that's where the similarities end (or do they?), Scratching Post coming up with their best yet, a splendid, artful blend of grinding bottom-ended metal and arrangements out of art rock. Sounds highly expensive anyway, like a tutorial in recording techniques, killer twin leads, segues, man, just damn professional. Fresh. Heavy. Topped with Nicole's feigned innocent baby doll vocals.

"Sounds about right," chirps Nicole in agreement. "It definitely has a darker feel than our first two. It's our heaviest one yet. Basically it's heavy music with melodic, girly vocals, and yeah, lots of cool production. This was our first time working with Chris and Drew Peters as producers. The album was recorded in Ann Arbor, Michigan. There's a new, electronic element to our sound with the introduction of keyboards, drum loops, but it's still guitar-fueled Scratching Post."

Which tracks are the band personally most proud of? "I personally really like 'Sleepwalking' and the new single 'Fade Away'. I think they capture the sound that we've attempted to create with our previous albums. The producers really helped us find our way to what we have been trying to do previously. They made us crank it up a notch. Umm...there were some things, vocally, that I have never done before. The producers made me cry. But at the end of it all, I'm really happy with them."

Scratching Post Ð Hell On High Heels Page 2