Most people would love to have a second chance to relive some part of their life over. For Michael Orlando who died momentarily after a highway bus accident all he wanted was a second chance. For three painful years that included surgery and treatment the only thing that motivated Orlando was the hope of being able to make music again. He got his second chance to live his dream by forming DEAD GIRLS ACADEMY.
Los Angeles native, Michael Orlando had all that any musician could have. He had a band, toured and even had a record deal. He truly was living the rock and roll dream. However, after his accident it all changed. He left his former band , Vampires Everywhere to create music that would become the soundtrack of his life with DEAD GIRLS ACADEMY.
Orlando will be releasing, DEAD GIRLS ACADEMY’s debut album, Alchemy on June 15, 2018 on Victory Records. He worked alongside Tyler Smyth, Ronnie Radke (Falling in Reverse) and renound producer, Elvis Baskette (Sevendust, Slash, Alter Bridge, Trivium) to create music and lyrics. Having grown up and been a part of the rock scene in Hollywood, Orlando had a lot of material to pull from. Alchemy draws on the dark topics of “ Fake Friends, hangers-on, split personalities, social-climbing and attention-hunting whores”.
Alchemy is an album that embodies many of the 1980’s hair metal attitude and sound mixed with old school punk, pop-rock and hard rock. Right from the first track “Medicine”, the listener is hit with heavy bass and drum beats, killer guitar riffs, not to mention a hair-raising shredding-solo and powerhouse vocal. It’s an in your face introduction to what is to come from the band.
True hard rock fans will embrace songs such as “Forever”, “ I Can’t Feel a Thing” and “I’ll Find A Way”. Orlando and team created some amazing songs that incorporated the gritty old school 1980’s sound mixed with today’s modern rock. This mixture allowed for a true hard rock experience with heavy drums, bass and guitar. The guitar solos on these songs are jaw dropping proving that no stone was left unturned.
Showing versatility, the band’s songs like “Everything”, “Too Late” and “Devil On My Shoulder” have a pop rock vibe. The topics may be deep but these songs hold a lighter upbeat sound to them. These songs are not any less stellar in their performance. They dominate with shredding guitar solos and even powerful screams coming from Orlando.
DEAD GIRLS ACADEMY did not forget to bring the punk rock vibe into the album, so songs like “Everything” and “Cannibal” provided the old school punk rock with new age punk to create songs that add a bit of hard rock into them too. In “Cannibal” you will get a punk rock ballad feel, however there is a hard rock dueling guitar solo that brings the song to a heavier level. These tunes give a heavier bass and drum presence but the guitar still plays the key role. Vocals are more pronounced and intense.
“No Way Out” and “Conversations” are electronica hard rock songs. They bring together new age and rock and roll. In “Conversations”, the ballad even has strings playing in the background, transcending it into a cutting edge song.
The last song on the album is a beautiful electronica ballad called “Far Away”. It processes strings and includes a passionate vocal performance from Orlando. Its melodic and powerful. The album truly comes full circle with this piece at the end.
Orlando was able to get his second chance to make music. With Alchemy fans will get a taste of a diverse sounding record. Each song is unique and passionate; mixing old school hard rock with new age electronica. Orlando has created something that truly allows his passion and stories to come to life in a way that is truly something worth listening to.
