Band:	Extreme
Album:	Six
Style:	Heavy metal, Funk rock
Release date:	June 2023

01. Rise
02. #Rebel
03. Banshee
04. Other Side Of The Rainbow
05. Small Town Beautiful
06. The Mask
07. Thicker Than Blood
08. Save Me
09. Hurricane
10. X Out
11. Beautiful Girls
12. Here's To The Losers

Harambe?!

If you are one of those people who have only heard the name Extreme in passing, or more likely, associate them with their mega-hit "More Than Words", then the news that the band have finally put out their sixth album (helpfully titled Six) may not seem that big of a news story to you. For those of you who are fans of the band, or know of the band members' various day jobs (Google it, chances are you'll know their other projects) will know that the fact the band are putting out a new record is something to put down in your calendars, because you'll likely become engrossed in it for a while.

Extreme, for my tastes, were always best when they turned the funk up, making bombastic and energetic tracks that you couldn't help but get caught up in. While the band did dial it down over time, they managed to balance out their new approach with enough funk sensibility that even the more straightforward rock songs are bounced off the weird and wonderful funk wall. Six continues in the latter vain and produces some strong moments from the band, making the long absence somewhat (was a tad too long a wait, lads) worth it.

"Rise" kicks off the album by delving deep into the fan service well and pulling up a track that will have fans rubbing their hands in glee. Not only does Cherone sound like he hasn't aged a day, but Bettencourt is back in guitar God mode, throwing out riffs and runs for the hell of it. "#Rebel" and "Banshee" follow up in similar fashion, making the album feel like an IV drip of pure adrenaline straight into the veins.

Yes, the boys are back in town and have brought the party. While not quite up to the same level, "Save Me" has a good brooding quality to it, building up to an explosive crescendo, with Cherone vocally channelling Chris Cornell in his approach. Cherone is perhaps the surprise element on Six; while it was to be expected that Bettencourt was going to throw out the best Eddie Van Halen impressions around, Cherone's voice is remarkably strong and versatile for a man in his sixties. "X Out" shows the versatility he possesses still, with his singing still strong and powerful after all these years.

So is Six a clean sweep? Well, unfortunately, the band's age-old issue of balance returns to the fore and does drag the album down a few notches. What do I mean by balance? Well, Extreme do love their ballads and/or acoustic tracks; the problem is that they either overdo the saccharine sweet emotive elements or they hit the bullseye spot on. Extreme clearly felt the odds were in their favour this time around as they gamble on five songs in this vein, and, well, only "Other Side Of The Rainbow" sticks the landing. The other four have mixed fortunes; "Here's To The Losers" will likely sound much better live, with a chorus made for crowd participation, but it just lacks this energy in its studio incarnation. The other three I can't say I overly enjoyed, and find myself skipping them more often than not.

Six highlights the problem with extended breaks between albums, leaving bands having to knock it out of the park in order to prevent fans feeling somewhat short-changed after such a wait, when having regular output would minimise the issue of expectations being raised too high. Still, Extreme don't do too badly by their fans once you shake off the expectations and take the album for what it is, rather than what you hoped it could be. If you don't like what they're doing, get the funk out (no, I don't feel bad about that line).