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Hometown: Long Beach, CA
Website: www.bellanovela.com
Sounds Like: Queen, Muse, Iron Maiden
Genre: Rock
If you haven't had a chance to check out the power trio with prog-rock leanings, (also known as Bella Novela), it's time to get cracking. Impassioned vocals, uber guitar riffage and some gnarly drumming await.
- OC WEEKLY
Bella Novela is an extremely fucking good hard rock band from Long Beach, California. “Hard rock” as a descriptor can maybe come off as a bit namby pamby, but with a healthy mix of Linda Ronstadt and Queens of the Stone Age coursing through their veins, Bella Novela don’t really have to worry too much about what terms might get attached to them. The band’s 2014 album, Telemetry, (their third) is a concept album about the beyond-popular Mexican soap opera, Cuna de Lobos. Telemetry works both as complete album in the “remember when people bought whole records” vein and as a collection of smoking in the bathroom/backseat singles. Writing songs that can serve as the soundtrack to both a long drive or a short fuck is not an easy feat for a band, either in the 70s or post-2010. All in all, the record is a very fine kicking-at-the-pricks-while-wearing-its-heart-on-its-sleeve shebang.
- NOISEY
"At first, Bella Novela might sound more like an L.A. than Long Beach band, what with its arena-ready riffs, dramatic Queen-loving vocals and galloping beats played by a pretty girl who is usually wearing something with sequins. But one listen to Telemetry, the band's first album in three years, where an ingenious combination of pop, punk, metal, rock and even Spanish classical guitar are all on display, it's easier to understand how these diverse influences could only coalesced in diverse-as-hell LBC. Bella Novela has always been known for taking the basic power rock recipes followed by other female-fronted bands like Heart and making them their own, and on Telemetry they are even more comfortable with their own brand of it. The album's cover shouts out to Thin Lizzy, the first song channels what Gwen Stefani would sound like if she fronted Dragonforce, and everyone from Iron Maiden to the Motels are referenced in the other eight tightly packaged three-minute tracks ("Lenora" is an 80s power ballad transported to Baja). The songs are decidedly new but entirely familiar, making Telemetry--even without a zombie apocalypse narrative present in 2011's The Archeress--an easy album to listen to and an even easier album to love." - Sarah Bennett, LA Record
“[Bella Novela's] The Archeress has, in a matter of days, become one of my favorite albums ever, among the likes of Appetite for Destruction by Guns N Roses, Lungs by Florence and the Machine, and Piece of Mind by Iron Maiden. THAT’S saying something.”
Chantel Donnan - OC Music Magazine
“We don't like keeping mum when Long Beach cinema trio Bella Novela play around town. If you haven't seen them, do yourself a favor and open your heart, mind and, above all, ears to these scarily talented rockers and their high-energy live show.”
Brandon Ferguson - OC Weekly
"[Bella Novela] specialize in indie-metal anthems with cinematic flair"
OC Weekly
“[Bella Novela] forgoes the indie pop saturating music scenes in favor of dynamic, high-energy cinematic rock with prog sensibilities. Lead vocalist Jackie Ojeda is a diminutive lass whose stature belies a bellicose voice. She's backed by guitarist Jacob Heath, who busts complicated and serpentine licks, while drummer Jannea McClure attacks the skins with unparalleled fury. Truly a joy to watch.”
Brandon Ferguson - OC Weekly
“High-drama high-energy rock from a band whose fervent hope is to outnova the Mexican daytime soaps.”
Chris Zeigler - The District Weekly
“Bella Novela are three very talented musicians from long beach. I recently had the opportunity to see them play in Oakland and needless to say, I was impressed. Jacob, the guitar player, breaks the rock n’ roll habit of 3 chord progressions with an arsenal of technical riffs. Jannea, the drummer, counts off each song with such charisma that it left me grinning ear to ear not to mention head-banging the entire set. And Jackie, lead vocals, sings with the passion and soul of diva.”
Godspeed Media
“Bella Novela hammered out a raw set that drew equally on Pat Benatar and Iron Maiden. Drummer Jannea McClure pummeled away at her kit with heaps of intensity, and guitarist Jacob Heath’s dizzying riffing collided with the soulful howls of singer-keyboardist Jackie Ojeda.”
Joel Shanahan - The Decider
“Jackie Ojeda…belts out impassioned indie-metal anthems while pounding at her keyboard with staggering conviction. Backed by guitarist Jacob Heath, whose Latin-metal riffs ride with drummer Jannea McClure’s galloping rhythms, Bella Novela deliver a distinctive sound teeming with verve.”
Brandon Ferguson - OC Weekly
“Bella Novela describes itself as spaghetti western wizard rock. Even when I’m fully conscious, I’m not entirely sure what that means, but from the three songs I caught Thursday night, it means the band is catchy, energetic and, most importantly, friendly.”
April Corbin - Las Vegas Weekly
“The singer is very animated, both physically and vocally. She wrings every drop of emotion out of every lyric...This set took on an almost theatrical quality for me...The bubbly way the drummer counts off the songs is worth the cover charge alone.”
Michael Klayman - The Lens and the Eyebrow
“They started playing and we all knew we had a made a good choice to stay. Powerful vocals, cool guitar riffs, strong bass lines, and catchy beats. The dynamics of the performance really got to us.”
Belgian Kid - Belgian Kid
