Review: PULSE – The Best Is Not Good Enough

For a band billing themselves as progressive/experimental heavy rock, PULSE are almost dogmatically tame. While that’s certainly not a mark against their name, The Best Is Not Good Enough treads such familiar territory that it’s often easy to overlook the highlights of their sound. Alissa Tissingh’s vocals occasionally bring to mind an early Ronnie James Dio and, as the principal songwriter, it’s clear that she can write a decent rock lick when she feels so inclined. Unfortunately, most of the riffs on The Best Is Not Good Enough feel like filler, and that good-ol’ rock n’ roll vibe gets edged out by their inability to stop meandering and get to the point. I hope these guys loosen up a little for their next recording, because with a little more swagger and heart, these guys could tear shit up. –Henry Glasheen