Sick N Beautiful have been gaining notoriety as one of the most wonderfully bizarre acts in the whole of Europe; something that I can certainly vouch for, having seen their insane live show in action.

But the question is – is there more to this band that their intergalactic gimmick? Is this a case of style over substance? Well, the answer can be found in their upcoming sophomore album – Element Of Sex.

The rugged Fire True is a forcible opener that pulls with gritty bass and Herma’s intense vocals. Megalomanical is bloody amazing, being so catchy and packing a walloping, in your face chorus, all topped off with a supreme guitar solo and hefty drum beats. There are more tracks of a similar nature such as All Wanna Go To Heaven, C*mmunion and especially Cryptid.

Slam and New Witch 666 have solid rhythms, and Hellawake sticks out with drawing lyrics. Meanwhile, the writing is particularly notable in HeXXX, and it has a hell of a hook to boot, and Heart December is glistened with pretty stunning synths.

So to answer the earlier question – yes. Underneath all the mind-blowing theatrics, there is actually a quality to the music. Element Of Sex is a very strong metal record that is rich in content, shining with fierce, incomparable personality and the songs on offer are really memorable. Granted, some are definitely better than others, but as a whole it is a tight, versatile compilation that never gets old even after several listens.

Sick N Beautiful are an entertaining marvel on the surface, but it is their music that ultimately cements them as a must-see act.