The V – Now Or Never (Frontiers)

Genre: Hard Rock

Breaking free from her comfort zone, metal queen Veronica Freeman doesn’t quite convince as a melodic rock chanteuse. The voice of Benedictum lacks the polish of a seasoned pop metal provocateur and still sounds at her best with the volume turned up to 11.

The frantic Roller Coaster sees Freeman channel her inner Lita Ford and that’s no bad thing. Only a frustrating lack of consistency prevents Now Or Never from being referenced in the same breath as 1988’s self-titled Lita.

Tracks like Kiss My Lips and Starshine are strikingly dull and Freeman is clearly uncomfortable attempting to sex up the latter. At times this bold reinvention of a NWOBHM-styled diva is derailed by woefully lacklustre songwriting and yet the Ratt-meets-Pat Benatar melody underpinning Spellbound works a treat.

Freeman is a seasoned performer with a powerful range but The V clearly doesn’t stand for versatility. Simon Rushworth

RUSHONROCK RATED: 5/10 Never Convincing