ARCH ENEMY "Deceivers"

 

(c) 2022 Century Media

1. Handshake With Hell
2. Deceiver, Deceiver
3. In The Eye Of The Storm
4. The Watcher
5. Poisoned Arrow
6. Sunset Over The Empire
7. House Of Mirrors
8. Spreading Black Wings
9. Mourning Star
10. One Last Time
11. Exiled From Earth

Alissa White-Gluz--Lead Vocals

Michael Amott--Guitars, Backing Vocals

Jeff Loomis--Guitars, Backing Vocals

Sharlee D'Angelo--Bass, Backing Vocals

Daniel Erlandsson--Drums, Percussion

Additional Musician

Raphael Liebermann--Cello on "Poisoned Arrow"

Arch Enemy has long been one of those guilty pleasure bands for me, going clear back to their 2001 album, Wages Of Sin.  Sure, I had heard of the band prior to that album, and while I will admit to being a thrasher that was drawn to the melodic death metal sound as a heavier, angrier progression from thrash, the vocals at the time were simply not to my liking.  I've never been a fan of "true" death metal, and to me, Arch Enemy's original singer was too much in the "Cookie Monster puking on the microphone" style that I have always abhorred.  However, on a chance, I pikced up Wages Of Sin, and was immediately taken by Angela Gossow, who took over lead vocals on that album.  All of a sudden, the band really clicked with me, and I felt myself drawn to the raging snarl of the She-Beast that absolutely tore through my speakers on those early albums and tracks like "Rats", "Enemy Within", and one of my favorites, "We Will Rise".  From that point on, I was hooked, and have snatched up pretty much everything the band has released from that point forward.

Without delving uber-deeply into the band's history, I will admit to being like pretty much everyone else who is a fan of the band in stating that I was very concerned when Gossow stepped aside as the vocal tormentor of the band, and Alissa White-Gluz was brought aboard.  If the goal was simply to replace one stunningly-beautiful woman with a new supermodel snarler, then the band did absolutely the right thing for their image.  But White-Gluz was going to have to prove herself vocally to truly be accepted by fans of the band, and while she definitely had her moments on her first record with the band, War Eternal, I felt there was more in there.  Then, with the addition of Jeff Loomis of Nevermore fame, I was hopeful the band would take that next significant step to fully realize their overall musical potential, and with 2017's Will To Power, it seemed they were getting closer, but weren't quite there.  I love that record...it was easily one of my most-played "gym albums" of 2018...but it still felt like something was being held back, although I couldn't put my finger on exactly what.

However, after a five year stretch between albums, trust me...with Deceivers, they are DEFINITELY there now!

From the moment White-Gluz tears into "Handshake With Hell", there is a brutal-yet-melodic ferocity that I feel has finally captured what I thought Loomis and White-Gluz bring to the band!  On this opening track, White-Gluz is afforded the perfect opportunity to showcase everything she has, from the darkest death snarls to a raspy, not-quite-clean-almost-spoken word vocals, to nearly operatic, soaring singing.  To me, this song encompasses everything that I had hoped White-Gluz would bring to the band, and perhaps it was Loomis finally feeling comfortable with his creative role as the lead soloist in the band that helped to step up the melodic sensibility of the music without forsaking the fierceness that Arch Enemy has always brought to the table.  The guitar work is fierce, but accessible, and the rhythm section is in 100% lock-step right from the start on this album,, and "Handshake With Hell" sets the table for this album perfectly!  Check it out below...

From this point forward, the album charges headlong from track to track, tearing through thrashy anthems like "Deceiver, Deceiver" and "Sunset Over The Empire".  Speaking specifically about "Deceiver, Deceiver", this song is so brutally aggressive...dare I say "punkish"...that it almost doesn't sound like an Arch Enemy song!  

Seriously, I don't recall an AE song in the Gossow era, and definitely not in the White-Gluz era, sounding that completely chaotic, heavy, and aggressive, without becoming so brutal that the melodic part of "melo-death" was lost!  No, the melodic part is still there, it's just that the aggression of the track is trying to choke the life out of it!  And while it should stand as an outlier on the album, a disruptor of sorts, it really doesn't, which I think is due in large part to the overall heft of the rest of the album, even on the somewhat slower, more muscular tracks like "One Last Time", and personal favorite "In The Eye Of The Storm", which to me is the pinnacle of the White-Gluz era.  

Never have I felt like White-Gluz was more in control of a song that on "In The Eye Of The Storm", and I would rank this track not only as her most dominating performance as a singer, but as one of the top handful of songs the band has assembled over the past decade!  I have yet to make it through this album with out "In The Eye Of The Storm" being played at least three or four times.  Everything about it, from the opening warning effects, to the huge guitar solo, to the massive drum sound, just screams to me when I put this track on.  Excellent stuff!

"Spreading Black Wings", is a thunderous mid-paced metalfest that alternately finds White-Gluz skirting the edges of black metal in places with her vocals, while the band mixes in huge power metal chants of "Hey! Hey! Hey!", and they collectively charge through heavy, thrash-inspired rhythm riffs that would make Megadeth proud!  Definitely one of the top three or four songs on an album that not a single track leaves me distracted, bored, or reaching for the skip button.

Equally as attention-grabbing is "Poisoned Arrow", an achingly beautiful track with classical elements (including some gorgeous cello work!), a mid-tempo, power metal-ish track not overly removed from what Loomis did with Nevermore, complete with stunning guitar solo work, some of the biggest-sounding drums on the record, all supporting both clean and deathy vocals from White-Gluz.  Probably my second favorite here, although it does have to fight with "House Of Mirrors" for that title.

Other standouts for me would have to be "The Watcher", with its speed/thrash metal rhythm guitars and a highly melodic, lyrically simple chorus that openly invites the listener to snarl along; the somewhat surprising instrumental cut, "Mourning Star"; and the angsty "House Of Mirrors", which as I mentioned before may be my second or third favorite on an album of great tracks.  Fans of heavy rhythm riffs and chunky, aggressive drum work will love "House Of Mirrors" to be sure!    

To me, the completeness of this record is something that the band has been missing for some time now.  While every album from the Gossow-era forward features multiple cuts of greatness, the band could be heard to slip into stretches of sameness from time to time, and occasionally a track or two would sneak in that left me scratching my head as to why it was included.  Not here, not now.  Nothing here sounds the same, yet everything slots together in a amalgamation of melo-death styles and approaches that is unquestionably the pinnacle of Arch Enemy for me!  It is everything I have loved about several of the band's previous efforts, and everything I thought this band could be, all rolled into 11 brutally beautiful tracks!  

There is no doubt in my mind that this is one of the absolute best metal albums of the year, and perhaps my favorite, most-listened to album of this style of the last decade.  Somehow, it never manages to leave my vehicle's disc changer!  I can also say without question that Arch Enemy is one band whose live show I would absolutely not miss if given the chance to see them!  

Rating:  Exceptionally crankable, turn this one up to an absolute 9.5!

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KEVIN PIKE "Guitar Graffiti"

 

(c)2022 Roxx Records

1. Note Shaker
2. Guitar Graffiti
3. Ode To The King
4. Gracias Ken
5. Opus

Kevin Pike--Lead, Rhythm Guitars

Timothy Gaines--Bass

Arnaud Krakowa--Drums

Instrumental music, especially in hard rock and metal, is an interesting beast.  Sometimes, with guys like Malmsteen, Vai, Satriani, etc., the music says everything.  Really, what words could you possibly put to "Surfing With The Alien"?  But other times, the music may be fast and aggressive, but it is definitely missing something.  And that something can be so hard to pin down, but you know that it isn't there when you hear it.  For me, without lyrics, most music...well, it fails to really grab me, to be honest.  Oh, sure, there are records that grabbed me instantly.  Marty Friedman's Dragon's Kiss did that the very first time I heard it, followed by what he and Jason Becker did with Speed Metal Symphony.  Mark Wood and his speed metal electric violin completely captures my attention and imagination on Voodoo Violince.  And, in the 80s. shred metal was everywhere, especially on labels like Shrapnel Records, which pretty much cornered the market on this highly technical, typically blazing fast style of guitar playing, and I owned just about everything Shrapnel released.  Eventually, Christian metal adopted the shred metal style, with Jeff Scheetz's Woodpecker Stomp probably the most famous example of a Christian artist releasing a lyric-less album that left me slack-jawed (and the man is an incredibly nice guy to meet, as well!).  But, like so many other trends, shred fell out of favor when grunge, and later extreme metal and metalcore, moved away from the highly technical style of playing, and in many cases, moved away from any time of soloing in favor of aggressive breakdowns or short, violent guitar bursts.  So, when I first learned that Roxx Records was releasing a new shred album I have to admit I was intrigued, and a bit leery, about what would come of the project.

Kevin Pike is the long-time guitar player for 80s/90s Christian metal band, Arsenal.  While that band is noted for playing the melodic hard rock and hair metal style of the time, Guitar Graffiti is definitely not of the same ilk.  Yes, it is still high energy, hard rocking music, but this EP features a style that allows Pike to really flash his stylistic flair in a genre that really has little in the way of musical constraints.  If your heart and mind can feel it, and your fingers can do it, go for it!

The EP kicks off with "Note Shaker", a short introduction to the project complete with the sound effects of a can of spray paint being shaken at various points throughout the minute-long track, adding to the album's title of Guitar Graffiti.  No other instruments are present as Pike makes a few sweeping runs up and down the fretboard here in what amounts to a warm-up for Kevin as he sets himself up to unleash far more on the following four cuts.

The EP's title track is up next, and this time Timothy Gaines (ex-Stryper) joins the adventure on bass, with his instrument being given a full voice as it helps to lay the musical foundation for Pike to scream across.  Definitely keeping a melodic sensibility throughout the track, Pike alternates between a smooth, melodic flow, and a more frantic, aggressive playing style that features some excellent tapping work and high-speed runs.  Rather than take my word for the insane amount of talent on display here, check out this teaser video for the track.

 

"Ode To The King" is my favorite of the songs here, as it is an exquisite piece of mid-tempo melodic metal that Pike is really able to pour his emotion into.  I particularly like the section at about the 2:30 mark, where Pike's guitar takes on the role of the vocalist, seemingly "singing" to the listener in a haunting voice that begs to be heard, with Gaines' bass propping him up.  For those who want flashes of staccato playing, the section at the 3:10 mark, or thereabouts, should definitely be of interest to you, as Pike's fingers are flying by this point, only to gather themselves back in and return to the plaintive, emotional call from earlier in the song, before coming to a powerful close.  Love this song, and I have hit repeat on this track multiple times.

"Gracias, Ken" is, as you may imagine, a Spanish-styled guitar song that is expertly played on a nylon-stringed guitar.  Just Kevin and his guitar again, this is a great addition to the EP.  The acoustic Spanish guitar is one of my favorite instruments to hear outside of the metal world, yet it is an instrument that is pretty easy to sound "amateurish" on, as a lot of players lack the fluidity and nimbleness to move from note to note in rapid succession on such an unforgiveable instrument.  Pike's playing here is amazingly clean, with no string squeaks or missed notes, which is always amazing to my ear, as I have watched incredibly talented players struggle with this type of high-speed playing on this beautiful instrument.  I have always been a sucker for playing such as this, and I find myself repeating the introduction to the movie Desperado numerous times, just to hear the music!  Pike's performance here is top-notch, and I would love to hear him do more of this type of music.

The EP closes with "Opus", three and a half minutes of high speed shred metal of the first degree.  Pike's guitar kicks things off with a furious scale run, spitting out notes in rapid-fire fashion.  Not to be outdone, Krakowa's drums come sprinting in at a frantic pace, challenging Pike to keep up with them as they thunder along.  For the first stretch of the song, the drums seem to be winning the race as Pike merely layers a series of stretched notes across the rhythmic pattern, effortlessly establishing the melody line of the song as it goes.  Soon enough, his guitar starts to flutter and flurry at a speed that the drums seemingly can't even keep up with, scorching their way at a break-neck pace atop Gaines' bounding bass line, swerving this way and that, sinking, climbing, twisting, and turning.  With mere seconds to go in the race, the drums stop, a single bass note from Gaines is struck, and Pike's guitar emerges the winner, bringing the song...and the EP...to a screaming halt!   

Now, THAT was a lot of fun!

Limited to just 300 units being pressed, if you are a fan of instrumental rock and metal, do not miss out on your chance to snag this!  Order your own copy from Roxx Records today (I already did!)

Rating:  Crankable, if you can keep up!  Crank this to an all-too-short 8!

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STRYPER "The Final Battle"

(c) 2022 Frontiers Records

1. Transgressor
2. See No Evil, Hear No Evil
3. Same Old Story
4. Heart & Soul
5. Near
6. Out, Up, In
7. Rise To The Call
8. The Way, The Truth, The Life
9. No Rest For The Wicked
10. 'Til Death Do Us Part
11. Ashes To Ashes

Michael Sweet--Lead Vocals, Lead and Rhythm Guitars

Oz Fox--Lead and Rhythm Guitars, Backing Vocals

Perry Richardson--Bass, Backing Vocals

Robert Sweet--Drums, "Visual Time Keeper"

Next year will be 40 years since Stryper became a "thing", forming from the LA club scene band, Roxx Regime, after giving their lives to Christ.  Over the course of these nearly 40 years, Stryper has hit a lot of highs and a handful of lows, releasing 14 studio albums (counting this one), a couple of  live releases, a couple of compilations, and spinning off various side projects.  There have also been member changes, issues with record labels, a breakup, and protests by extreme fundamentalists who believe Stryper to be the proverbial wolf in sheep's clothing.  But through it all, brothers Michael and Robert Sweet, along with Oz Fox, have continued to provide the metal masses with quality material and powerful messages.

I'll be honest, when I heard that Stryper had a new album coming out so soon after their previous effort, Even The Devil Believes, I wondered if it was the acoustic record that Michael has hinted about in various interviews and podcasts.  While I would be more than excited to snap that album up, I was far more excited to learn that The Final Battle was a full-length studio effort instead.

The album kicks off with one of the heaviest, fastest tracks on what I believe to be Stryper's heaviest record, to date.  "Transgressor" is chock full of raging rhythm guitars, screaming solos...and a screaming singer!  Michael Sweet, who appears to only get stronger with age and experience, unleashes a couple of borderline-unholy screams on this song, especially near the end, that leave one fearing for the ears of the sound engineer while this was being recorded.  Released as a single and video prior to the album's drop, "Transgressor" really sets the stage for the rest of this record.

Follow-up track, "See No Evil, Hear No Evil", continues the metalfest, albeit in a slower, more plodding way, with some gritty bass work from Richardson that matches the snarl that Michael adds to his voice on this track.  I'm not sure who plays the Hammond on this track, but it is used to excellent effect in a couple of places, adding its haunting voice to this grinding, stomping track.  The trademark layered backing vocals are present throughout the song, and Robert's work is absolutely rock-solid behind the kit.  For my money, he's one of the most underrated drummers from the 80s scene, and is certainly one of the most capable that is still performing.  People simply don't seem to appreciate that the "Visual Timekeeper" is so much more than a whirling dirvish of blonde hair behind the sideways kit on stage.  His sound is front and center through out this track, and elsewhere on the record, and the recording of his work is among the best the band has ever captured.  There's also a nice trade-off guitar solo section, with both Michael and Oz going at it, head-to-head.

The unmistakable tone of Stryper's rhythm guitars kicks off another previously released track, "Same Old Story".  That guitar sound is found all over the place on the To Hell With The Devil album, as well as on several songs from other albums, and it is a tone that, for me at least, leaves no doubt that a Stryper rocker is on its way.  "Same Old Story" is more mid-paced in tempo, but it is insanely catchy with a big, sing-along chorus and some nimble fretwork from Sweet on the solo.  Check it out below.

"Heart & Soul" maintains that mid-temp metallic beat, with Robert's big drums absolutely being crushed from the start and persevering through the various tempo changes the track offers up, slowing slightly at the chorus sections, then speeding up to their highest tempo exiting the choruses, then backing down to that mid-tempo stomp I mentioned before.  The solo section here absolutely RIPS, with a different, melodic bent being applied to the run.  Sweet lays into a couple of big screams here, as well, but does the song service by staying more in his lower tenor range for much of the verse work.  

"Near" is a quirky track from the beginning, a unique, melodic guitar intro leading the way and some subtle keyboard tones adding to the musical bed upon which Sweet's powerful vocals soar.  If a big power ballad is what you think the band needs to make the album complete, then "Near" is exactly what you've been searching for, as this track could likely have slotted in on any one of the band's late-80s album and sounded right at home.  The dexterous guitar run in the solo section threatens to push the song out of power ballad territory, but backs off at precisely the right time to bring things all together again.  Don't think "Honestly" or "First Love" type ballad when you approach "Near", as neither of those classic Stryper ballads pack the musical punch that "Near" does.  

The catchy punch of "Out, Up, In" brings the thunder back to the band's sound, with Robert Sweet's drum work again front and center.  I simply love what he is bringing here!  The track is relatively simple and stark, with the raw power of the song doing all the heavy lifting here.  Richardson's bass is rumbling along nicely throughout, and the layered harmony vocals are spot on.  Michael sounds like he may really be stretching himself our here, and not in a bad way, holding screams for insanely long periods of time.  This is definitely one of my favorite tracks on an album packed with excellence, and it's the simplicity that makes it work so well.

If something more classically Stryper, more frantic in its rhythm guitar grind, more violent in its drumming is what you are seeking, "Rise To The Call" is everything you have been looking for.  Throw in a killer march-styled breakdown, a huge scream, and a fret-burning solo run that features both Sweet and Fox threatening to melt their strings, and you have an instant Stryper classic track.  Bordering on speed metal in its styling, this was another track the band teased everyone with as a pre-release single and video.  Destined to find its way into setlists for whatever remains of the band's career, this song is exactly what I think of when I think of Stryper, regardless of the era.  Whether you think of speedy old school tracks like "Writings On The Wall" or "Rock The Hell Out Of You", or your mind is set more firmly in the present, "Rise To The Call" has to be a song that draws your attention from this point on.  It's really that good!

The album closes with "Ashes To Ashes", and as I feel I have said repeatedly in a variety of ways, this is exactly the kind of song you...or at least I...think of when Stryper is mentioned.  The album opens with Robert all by himself, thundering away, before Oz's rhythm guitar launches itself into the gritty fray.  Richardson's bass is once again all over this track and is a welcome presence as it adds a serious thump to the goings on here.  I absolutely love the phrasing of the chorus; it just adds something in the way that Michael stretches the first "ashes" and then snaps off the second "ashes".  LOVE IT!  Again, this is a song that I really feel has to be added to their live sets, potentially being the closing song, or at least the closing song before a big First Era encore.  This is absolutely Stryper proving they are very much at the top of their game and still solidly ahead of the pack of 80s bands that continue to ply their trade.

Overall, after numerous listens, The Final Battle is, to my ears, the best of the batch of Stryper's Second Era, which is saying a lot considering the strength of Fallen, No More Hell To Pay, and others.  While I enjoyed the band's last effort, The Final Battle is definitely a step up from Even The Devil Believes, adding more fire and more metal than on that effort.  Does it topple To Hell With The Devil or Soldiers Under Command as the best in their catalog?  I'll leave that up to the individual listener.  However, every bit as heavy as God Damn Evil, and perhaps even heavier, yet still retaining the melodic sensibilities Stryper has always displayed, The Final Battle may finally put to rest the argument of some that Stryper isn't metal and should have hung up their yellow and black attack years ago.  If anything, this band is going stronger than at any point in their career, and they sound like they are having a blast doing it!  Hopefully the name of the record has no hidden meaning and we see Stryper continue on for at least another decade!

Rating:  Absolutely crank-worthy!  Spin this up to 9.5!
 

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WHITECROSS "Fear No Evil" EP

 

(c) 2022 Dark Star Records

1. Man In The Mirror
2. Lion Of Judah
3. Fear No Evil

Dave Roberts--Lead Vocals

Rex Carroll--Guitars

Benny Ramos--Bass

Michael Feighan--Drums

Never say never!  It has been 21 years since Whitecross released 1987, the re-recording of their debut CD (minus the ballad, "You're Mine", and plus "Love On The Line"), and 26 years since the band, minus guitar wizard, Rex Carroll, released the less-than-stellar Flytrap.  Just a couple of years ago, I asked Rex if he thought Whitecross would ever record new music, to which he responded he just didn't see it happening, although he would love the chance.  Well, when the chance arose, Rex and his band didn't miss it, releasing the three track EP, Fear No Evil.

For this EP, Whitecross also unveils (no pun intended) new lead singer, Dave Roberts, who has actually been performing with the band for a couple of years now.  Yes, yes, I know, change is scary, but in this case, the presence of Roberts adds a lower-ranged punch that gives the new material a grittier, more muscular sound.  Additionally, without long-time vocalist, Scott Wenzel on the microphone, the Ratt comparisons can finally die the death they deserved (Whitecross has NEVER sounded like Ratt minus the similarities in the singers' voices).  The rest of the band, however, has been together for over two decades now, with Feighan joining up on drums in in 1991, and Ramos jumping on board in 2000.  

The EP opens with a classic Whitecross guitar riff, and were it not for Robert's lower-ranged scream a few seconds into the track, you could possibly think you were listening to a track from one of the band's late-80s tracks.  There is no mistaking that this is a Whitecross song through and through.  A hard-driving song, "Man In The Mirror" has everything you except from Whitecross:  crunchy rhythm guitar riffs, a tight bass line, and the thunderous drums that Feighan has been providing for 30 years now,  Yes, there is a new voice in the band, but Roberts' deeper, slightly raspy voice fits this new material exceptionally well.  While his screams may not shatter glass, there is a force behind them that projects power easily.  I do not say this to belittle his predecessor at all, for I love the majority of Scott Wenzel's  material up through High Gear, I don't hear Scott's vocals on this song at all.  This song, to my ears, was written with Roberts' voice in mind.  All this being said, Whitecross fans are likely here to feast their ears on the solos from Rex Carroll, and they are not let down here as he shreds his way through a scorching run before the final chorus section hits.  With only three songs on this EP, it was important for Whitecross 2.0, as it is sometimes referred to, to come roaring out of the gates immediately; "Man In The Mirror" does not disappoint.  

"The Lion Of Judah" is up next, and once again, there is no mistaking the riffing style or the guitar tone of Rex on this punchy rocker.  Aggressive from the start, this again could be a throwback track, no doubt, and of the three songs here, this is really the only one I think I could hear Wenzel's voice fitting on, but I doubt it would pack the same punch that is provided by Roberts here.  The man just adds an edge that was not always there, particularly on the Rex-less WC albums that followed High Gear.  Again, the rhythm section is really powerful here, and you can sense the decades of work put in by Ramos and Feighan as they are in lock-step here, building the bedrock that we all know Rex is going to turn to molten rock as soon as he unleashes his guitar.  And unleash, he does, as Rex rages across this track in an extended solo that instantly put a smile on my face.  This is exactly what fans have been missing for twenty-plus years!  

The third track here is a lyrical reworking of Psalm 23 for the intro, and is the slowest song on the EP.  Don't let this fool you into believing it is a ballad or that it doesn't hit hard, because that is simply not the case.  In all fairness, it does open on a slower, softer note, with a Spanish guitar intro from Rex, and it remains rather stark with Dave's husky voice and Rex's guitars going it alone until the band kicks in at about the 1:20 mark.  From there, the track takes on a more aggressive, punchier style, with the lyrical phrasing and the arrangement reminding me a bit of a Dio song.  Once again, Feighan is absolutely rock solid on the foundation of this song, pounding away at his kit and seemingly brutalizing his snare, while Ramos rumbles along in fine fashion.  Rex's solo here is...well, it's Rex...extremely note-dense and high energy, screaming along for a full 40+ seconds before the song gives way to the softer style it started with for the last thirty seconds of the track, Roberts closing things out with the intro of the 23rd Psalm again.

I have been with Whitecross since the beginning, literally, as I bought their debut album the week it came to my local Christian bookstore, and I snapped up everything I could get my hand on throughout the years, from the Love On The Line EP on cassette, to Japanese imports and greatest hits compilations.  When I had the chance to see them live in 2013, for the first time in over twenty years, and then got to meet them in person, it was truly an exceptional experience for me.  Sadly, I lost my entire Whitecross collection (which I actually had autographed by the guys at SkullFest in 2013) in a flood a couple of years ago, but with my sights set upon rebuilding that collection, Fear No Evil is definitely a great place to pick things up!  Available in very limited CD quantities, as well as in digital download format, at https://darkstarrecords.net/2022/09/02/whitecross-return-with-fear-no-evil-a-special-limited-edition-3-song-ep/ , this is well worth picking up before they are gone! 

Oh, and for any who wonder how Roberts sounds on the band's classic material, I will just leave this here for you to feast your ears upon....

Rating:  Again, it's an EP, and I'm not typically a fan of rating EPs, but it is fair to say the return of Whitecross is nothing short of crankable, even if it is a short, three-song tease!  If forced to put a number to it, I'd give it a 7.5.  Let's just hope a full-length album is in the works soon!

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KING'S X "Three Sides Of One"

 

(c) 2022 InsideOut Music/Sony Music

1. Let It Rain
2. Flood, Pt. 1
3. Nothing But The Truth
4. Give It Up
5. All God's Children
6. Take The Time
7. Festival
8. Swipe Up
9. Holidays 
10. Watcher
11. She Called Me Home
12. Every Everywhere

dUg Pinnick--Lead Vocals, Bass

Ty Tabor--Guitars, Vocals

Jerry Gaskill--Drums, Vocals

I have never been what you might call a King's X fan, although I have generally appreciated what the band has done musically.  I think their initial trio of albums, Out Of The Silent Planet, Gretchen Goes To Nebraska, and Faith, Hope, Love, is pretty amazing, actually, and I still own my original copies of all three of those.  But, no, I'm not really a fan.  Now, a friend of mine, Matt, is DEFINITELY a fan, and he tried more than once to turn me onto the band beyond the casual listening I would give it.  We spent a couple of years together on college radio, and while I would occasionally spin "Over My Head" from Gretchen..., and "It's Love" from Faith, Hope, Love, Matt would be digging into "Moanjam" and "Six Broken Soldiers" and other deeper tracks.  Me?  I just couldn't get there, which is odd, as I love Galactic Cowboys, a band that is frequently tied to King's X, both as musical collaborators and stylistic compatriots.  Heck, I think I even turned Matt onto the Galactic Cowboys purely because of his love for King's X.  But for me, after those first three albums, I was pretty much done with King's X, although I have owned their self-titled album in the past...and Dogman at least three times...but nothing ever stuck.  By the time they had released Please Come Home...Mr. Bulbous at the turn of the century, I had given up ever trying to get into the band again, and I don't think I can name a single King's X song from any album post-2000.

So, now it is 2022, and the cult-favorite band is gearing up to release their 13th studio album, and their first in 14 years (I had to look that up, as I simply couldn't believe it had been that long!).  There have been various reasons for the layoff, not least of which has been health problems, with Gaskill surviving two heart attacks and Pinnick fighting through a lymph node infection of some sort.  As such, the new album, Three Sides Of One, has been hinted at and discussed in the media since at least 2018.  With so many 80s bands coming out of seeming retirement over the past decade or so, it really should come as no shock that King's X has joined the party, but how they would return was a question on many fans minds...and my non-fan mind, also.

The album kicks off in a big way with possibly the heaviest track on the record, "Let It Rain".  By "heavy" I'm not implying this is a heavy metal track, but there is definitely a heft to this melodic rocker that cannot be dismissed.  Pinnick's voice is as strong and catchy to my ear as it has ever been, and his bass just dominates the bottom end of this track which carries a definite Led Zeppelin discordant vibe to it.  Tabor, who I will admit is a seriously underrated guitar player, rips into an equally edgy and aggressive solo, which has my interest piqued instantly.  I have to say that I was as impressed by this opening track as I have been by ANY King's X song since Faith, Hope, Love, which is saying a lot considering the volume of material the band has assembled through the years.

The following track, "Flood, Pt. 1", is another surprise to my ears, as the track starts off with some 80s-inspired keys, only to be countered by fierce, harsh guitar tones...which are then quickly ditched in favor of a far more laid back, melodic style on the verse sections.  Those abrasive guitar chords return in the chorus sections which also feature the band's trademark layered harmony vocals that have been perfectly honed over nearly four decades as a band.  At just a hair over three minutes in length, "Flood,, Pt. 1" is both everything I would expect from King's X and NOTHING I would expect from the band.  

"Nothing But The Truth" is a slow, plodding melancholic tune that stands so starkly apart from the opening two tracks that it really should have been placed elsewhere on the disc.  Pinnick's vocals stretch perfectly across the bluesy ballad's riffs, soaring to the peaks and plummeting to the valleys, but even the great vocal performance can't offset the fact that this track just doesn't fit where it is placed and I think it's going to have a car wreck effect for many listeners.  It did for me; the jolt is just that big!

Things get back up to speed with "Give It Up", which gets the band the closest to what I would consider to be a classic King's X sound thus far, with gritty rhythm guitars, a solid voice from dUg's bass, and sharp, snappy drums from Gaskill.  A simplistic chorus and a basic three chord rock style belie what is actually a fairly complex song, particularly when the solo section drops after the second chorus and is as much a percussion solo as a guitar solo.  Basic-yet-progressive might be a good description of the work here.

"All God's Children" is a hauntingly beautiful track that manages to work around the insanely plodding tempo and down-tuned guitars, thanks in large part to the exquisitely layered harmony vocals that are such a huge part of who King's X is.  To be honest, this is one of a handful of tracks that reminds me of Enuff Z'Nuff's darker material, taking that 70s-era, psychedelic Beatles sound and warping it even further with a series of dark twists that are offset by the soaring "whoas" and "ahhs" of the vocals.  

"Take The Time" again reminds me of something the Beatles, or more likely Enuff Z'Nuff, would put forth, utilizing a lot of acoustic instrumentation and a slight ringing reverb on the vocals.  The only problem I have with this track is that we are now on a somewhat serious downswing tempo-wise, with "Nothing But The Truth", "All God's Children" and "Take The Time" all in seriously slow territory, with only "Give It Up" doing anything to disrupt this downshift.  Fortunately, "Festival" ramps things back up with a jolting, punkish effort which finds Gaskill taking a turn on lead vocals, sounding for all the world like yet another Enuff Z'Nuff-styled track in the process.

"Swipe Up" churns out some chunky riffs that border on metal but the track doesn't quite cross that line in an uptempo romp that breaks up the slower-paced material, but only briefly, as "Holidays" drifts right back to slower Enuff Z'Nuff territory.  Now, before you start getting angry at me for all the EZ'N references, understand that I really like that band, and...well, that's what a lot of this material reminds me of.  It's not a bad thing to my ears, but not what I was thinking the album was going to shake out to be after the first four songs.  The tempo stagnation has a lot to do with this, I would imagine, and the tracks that don't have dUg on lead vocals tend to all take on that trippy vibe that EZ'N is so well known for.  

"Watcher" changes things up a bit, bringing in a bit of a Rush vibe to a really good mid-tempo rocker that is among my top four songs of the album.  The rhythm guitars have a gritty bite to them, while the leads slide in among the chunky riffs with a 70s retro rock style that is a lot of fun to hear.  And, of course, the vocals are the centerpiece here, even with dUg's lower ranged vocals being relegated to a back-up role here.  Good stuff that I really wish the band would have explored more fully throughout the record.

"She Called Me Home" is another slow tune, which really shouldn't be a surprise at this point, as so much of this album is on the downward side of midtempo.  "She Called Me Home" is probably my favorite of the slower material, however, with a big false ending in the middle that is interrupted by Tabor's tastiest solo of the album, an extended treat that runs out the rest of the song.  This run really showcases the underappreciated talent of the man, and I think I could listen to him bend strings in this soulful style all day long!    

"Every Everywhere" closes the album in fine fashion, again putting forward one of the most King's X-sounding songs on the effort, although the influence of the Beatles is impossible to miss here, as it is throughout so much of the album, although a nod to Zeppelin is present here, also.  Tabor puts on another clinic on soulful lead playing, and Pinnick is everywhere on this track, both vocally and on the bass, again leaving me to really wish the band had spent more time in this realm.

One note I think may be of importance here is that I don't view this as an album of singles as much as I view it as an album of moods.  There isn't a lot in the way of stand-alone tracks here, and the album doesn't really lend itself to ADHD-styled listening.  This is an album that I think would be greatly appreciated on vinyl by those who have the time to let the music surround them and soak into their soul, the way a lot of people listen to Pink Floyd or Led Zeppelin.  To be 100% candid, I think if you took "Let It Rain", "Flood, Pt. 1", "Give It Up", and "Festival" off the album, it might make for a smoother, more flowing album that would be easier to listen to for a guy like me.  As it stands, the jolting jumps followed by long stretches of down-tempo material are a bit hard to digest.  

Three Sides Of One definitely features some of the the best songs I have heard from King's X in many, many years, but it also seems to get a bit lost in its identity from time to time.  Which version of the band is King's X trying to be here?  No, as an album it doesn't touch the greatness of the band's 1988-1990 output, but it does showcase a band that is very comfortable with itself...whatever version they want to put forward...and one that is very skilled at what it does.  There is no questioning the musical talent on display throughout Three Sides Of One, and it sounds like the guys are happy to be making music as a band again.  Fans of the band's heavier, more metallic output will likely be disappointed that Three Sides... doesn't spend a lot of time in that arena, and those who are seeking an album full of deep, proggy material will likewise be let down.  However, for those who are all about the layered vocals, the more progressive-meets-psychedelic types of melodic music the band has dabbled in through the years, this album may be just what you have been holding out hope for.  There is still a lot of energy in the band and it shows on Three Sides Of One in a variety of ways, just maybe not in the ways that everyone may have expected, especially if they were expecting a more uptempo rock album, because that is not what Three Sides Of One is.

Rating:  Not quite crankable, Three Sides Of One is still definitely Rock worthy, checking in at a solid 6.5!  Let's all hope its not 14 years before we get another album from this powerhouse trio!

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GOLD, FRANKINCENSE & MYRRH "Framing My Perception"

 

(c) 2022 Rockfest Records

1. Burn Your Fears
2. Framing My Perception
3. Honest Abe
4. The Enemy
5. Why So Toxic
6. Disrupt The Silence

Maggie English--Bass, Vocals

CJ English--Guitars, Vocals

Lulu English--Drums, Percussion

 Additional Musicians:

Weston Evans--Addtional Guitars

I'm going to be honest.  I have loved what the English sisters have been doing as Gold, Frankincense & Myrrh since the beginning.  Their "beautycore" blend of harsh metalcore screams and growls, downtuned guitars, and furious breakdowns intermixed with the clean vocals and a pop punk charm brought a fun spark to the Christian hard rock/metal scene.

I'm also going to be honest in saying I am a huge fan of what Rockfest Records has done for the Christian hard rock and metal scene.  They have quickly...but not really quietly...snapped up some of the biggest names in the scene and have built an amazing roster of talent.  Joseph Rojas of Seventh Day Slumber seems to have a very good feel for what will work and who will fit with the core artists he has assembled.

Final honest statement (well...final honest INTRODUCTORY statement...I'm not going to just start lying or something...):  I was rather concerned about GFM joining the Rockfest Records roster because I was concerned that their sound and attitude would be compromised in some way.  I was worried some of the harshness would be smoothed over, some of the rough edges would be polished away.

I was wrong to be concerned.  With their latest EP, Framing My Perception, GFM proves that they have every bit as much punch as they always have, even if there is a certain maturity to their sound with this latest offering.  I'm not suggesting the fun, punkish charm is gone or that the growls have disappeared, but it would be foolish to deny that these girls have started to mature a bit in their songwriting and the structures of the tracks they have put together here.  It was bound to happen after all, as the girls have been performing as a band for more than seven years, with a hard-to-find debut effort, a full-length album (Identity Crisis), an acoustic offering, and a pair of EPs prior to this one (Oh, The Horror and Operation Take Over).  They aren't new to this thing, despite the fact that all three girls are 22 or younger, and with each release they have shown bits of growth and change.  Framing My Perception simply continues that growth.

"Burn Your Fears" kicks things off, and instantly it is obvious that this is going to still be GMF, regardless of what label they are with or who is helping turn the knobs and spin the dials.  A bed of electronic effects opens the song, with oldest sister, CJ, dropping a chugging riff into place, with baby sister Lulu crushing her kit right alongside the snarling guitars.  The contrast between CJ's clean vocals and Maggie's uber-harsh growling has always been a big part of what makes GFM such a unique and fun listen, and Maggie is in full-throated roaring fashion almost immediately.  In fact, she may hit the lowest range growling I have heard from her on this track.  This is a great opening crushfest that sets the course for the rest of this EP.

The title track hits next, and it hits hard, both in tone and in message, while being a PERFECT example of the growth I mentioned previously.  A subtle electronic lead-in builds to a powerful guitar riff before CJ's clean vocals come powering their way into the mix, with Lulu's thunderous drums accompanying her.  One thing that stands out about this track to me is the presence of an actual guitar solo, and a pretty melodic solo at that!  Generally known for her fierce bottom-end breakdowns, CJ is given a chance to shine on her axe and she grabs that chance by the throat!  I always suspected she had this kind of playing in her somewhere, and I'm really happy to hear it come forward here.  I hope to hear more of this kind of playing in the future.  Also noticable is what isn't here; there are no harsh, raspy growls from Maggie.  Rather, the middle sister accompanies CJ on the chorus section, providing that layered harmonic sound that only siblings can really achieve.  All of this newness still sounds like GFM, however, and this is an excellent example of the growth that the girls have exhibited throughout this EP.  A really powerful song about remaining positive and seeing the good in life is further enhanced by the first video released from this EP.  

If "Framing..." isn't my favorite track on this release, next cut, "Honest Abe", likely takes the title.  No electronics or synths to set the stage here, just a punchy drum strike and CJ's rhythm guitars chewing on your ear right from the start.  Rather than lead in with clean vocals, Maggie's deathy growls take center stage as the main vocal type this time around.  No worries that the counter is missing, however, as CJ sweetly chimes in on the chorus section.  This may be one of the heaviest tracks the girls have ever put together, with a booming breakdown section before the last runs through the chorus, and CJ's guitar approach throughout is absolutely brutal...in a good way.  But it's Maggie's roar that powers this track into the upper echelon of the band's catalog for me, and I find myself hitting repeat on "Honest Abe" numerous times.

"The Enemy" follows the successful formula that GFM has utilized to great effect throughout their recording career, laying down aggressive, buzzsaw guitar riffs and rapid-fire drums with a combination of both clean and harsh vocals being used throughout.  Instead of singing on this track, however, CJ is a bit more snarky in her delivery, using that sneering voice that she has honed to perfection over the past few years to bark at the listener.  There is still plenty of difference between CJ's sharper delivery style and Maggie's gutteral growl, however, and this is a track that long-time GFM fans are going to feel right at home with.

As aggressive and harsh as "Honest Abe" is, "Why So Toxic" showcases the other side of the girls equally well.  Straight-up pop-punk, this is a bouncy, fun track that still showcases some speedy riffing from CJ and that rock-solid drumming that Lulu really deserves more attention for.  That girl has grown up right in front of the music world's eyes, and she has become a seriously talented drummer that people in the rock/metal community should be giving credit to.  Once again, as with "Framing..." there are no harsh snarls from Maggie, but there are plenty of "whoa-oh-ohs" for the listener to bop along to.

"Disrupt The Silence" closes things out with another heavy, high-speed affar that again uses Maggie's growls as the dominant vocal style on the verses, with CJ's cleaner vox handling the pre-chorus and chorus sections.  There is an electronic element running throughout the track that again shows some of  musical depth and growth the band has tinkered with on this EP, and even some programmed drum effects underneath a brief spoken word portion, but it's a vicious breakdown, with pummeling drumwork and macnine-gun rhythm riffing that quickly reminds you that GFM remains a metal/metalcore force to be reckoned with.

The mixture of styles in such a short space of time is interesting and gives the listener plenty to consider on Framing My Perception.  Whether you are a fan of the angrier, harsher side of the band, or you lean more toward the cheerleader pop-punk approach the girls have had so much fun with in the past, you are going to find something on this EP to suit your beautycore needs.   

If I had any complaint with the project it is that this is yet another EP.  In what appears to be a growing trend, more and more artists are releasing music, even in physical formats, just five or six tracks at a time.  This is four EPs in a row for these girls (counting the acoustic effort), and a couple of digital singles have been mixed in there, as well.  I know I should be thankful that RockFest continues to release physical product in this digital world, but the fact that I have all three of their previous EPs ripped and burned onto one disc with room for a good portion of this one frustrates me a bit.   Still, if this is how the girls, who are MASTERS of self-promotion and connecting with their fans, reach out to their audience on a regular basis, I'm sure I will be there to snap it up.  But don't think you can make me stop grumbling about the flood of EPs recently!

Bouncy yet crunchy, angry yet positive, both snarly and clean at the same time, Framing My Perception is a nice step forward for GFM, while keeping a firm foot planted in the band's past.

Rating:  Definitely crankable!  Crank this to 8.5!

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JODI ESSEX "Fearless"

(C) 2022 Independent Release

1. Offend
2. Fearless
3. Unravel
4. Lean
5. Bandaid
6. Shine

Jodi Essex--Lead and Backing Vocals

Josiah Prince--All Instruments and Production

Two years ago, newcomer Jodi Essex dropped her debut album, Irreverant.  While definitely a strong debut with some excellent material, I didn't feel the album really captured all that Essex was capable of.  There was too much middling material on the record as Essex seemed to waffle between being a rocker and being a CCM/pop crossover artist, especially on the ballads.  I opined on my review of the record that "a lot of how Essex fairs from here forward is going to depend largely upon what direction she chooses to take her music.  I have no doubt that she will find success in whatever style of music she chooses to perform  I truly hope it is the rock road that she chooses to travel."

Wish granted!

With her new album, Fearless, Essex comes out firing on all cylinders, producing the kind of album (okay, EP) that I felt she was capable of!  Enlisting the help of one of the hottest writers and producers in Christian rock, Mr. Josiah Prince of Disciple, who co-wrote every track here, Essex has crafted an energetic, rocking record that should open the eyes of many a listener.

Three singles have already been released, and each has delivered a little something different from Essex.  "Offend" is a straight-up hard rock track with an equally punchy message to those members of the church who choose to teach a watered-down version of the Gospel in the hopes of attracting more congregants.  Similar to the way Fireflight addresses the show biz-like atmosphere of many churches today in "Welcome To The Show", the video for "Offend" gets right to the heart of the matter with a steam-punk outfitted Essex asking "would you offend for the Gospel?" as she addresses a panel of wishy-washy church leaders.  From there, thundering drums kick start this driving rock track, with "Offend" taking a far punchier approach than anything on her previous album.  Alternately gritty--almost sneeringly so--and soaring, the verse sections showcase the various styles that Essex spread out over multiple tracks on Irreverent, with a snappy, energy-infused chorus blasting the listener with that same opening line..."Would you offend for the Gospel?  Or will you bend for mankind?"  

On the second single, "Unravel", Essex slows things down to power ballad territory, albeit with some modern rock song structure, to present a song about the power of a person's will and the need to surrender our spirit and allow God to "unravel" the walls we put up around ourselves.  A bed of electronic effects and percussion intros the song, with Essex's breathy vocals carrying the verse toward a powerful-yet-simplistic chorus.  From here, new layers of instrumentation are added, with Prince's (Disciple) guitars adding their voice to the mix as Essex ramps up the power in her voice until it reaches a full-throated peak during the third run through the chorus.  Orchestral elements are added as Prince winds his way through an emotion-drenched solo before giving way to Essex and her closing runs through the chorus.  More outstanding guitar work leads the track out, and almost immediately I hit repeat.  This...THIS...is the kind of ballad that Essex absolutely dominates and is what I was hoping we would hear from her this time around.  I can't help but think of Berlin's big hit, "Take My Breath Away" from the Top Gun soundtrack when I hear this song (now that I mention it, I would LOVE to hear Essex tackle that classic hit!), and for me it is obvious this is the type of song Essex works best with, at least on slower material.

Most recently, Essex dropped the title track from the EP, a song which finds the singer treading a more mid-tempo rock track and handling it in fine fashion.  Starting off with a punchy rhythm section intro, this straight ahead rock track allows Essex to really shine as the instrument-sparse verse sections provide the perfect showcase for her gritty vocals, while the chorus offers her the chance to soar a bit more with her voice.  There's a cool vocal bridge that has Essex delivering different vocal lines in a nicely layered section, and throughout the track there is a looped vocal that I would swear is echoing "The Warrior" of Scandal fame.  Check it out below.

By the way, I have no idea who the band is in the video, as no musicians were credited in the press information I had with the exception of Josiah Prince (who is featured in the video).  

As to the other three tracks here, all three could possibly see single release, as well, with "Bandaid", in particular, drawing my attention.  The hard-edged modern rock track "Bandaid" starts off with a crunchy guitar riff and some thunderous drums before Essex comes rushing in, singing about not living life with regret or hesitation, imploring the listener "don't waste another day, another minute, another hour...Don't put off the inevitable, Don't wait too long, you'll miss the incredible...".  What's especially striking is the punchy, aggressive chorus which finds Essex snarling "Rip the Bandaid, Rip the Bandaid, Rip the Bandaid OFF!"  

"Lean" has an urgent sound from the get-go, with a pulsating bed of electronics opening things up before giving way to a heavy, plodding rocker with a seriously down-tuned guitar line grinding away beneath the verse sections.  Essex's voice stands in stark comparison to the much darker-toned music of the track, with comparisons to Rage Against the Machine not being out of line, especially in the tone of the guitars (heck, the riff isn't completely different from "Bulls on Parade" if you have heard that track.  No, I'm being serious...).  I could see this song (as well as "Bandaid") becoming signature songs for the vocal powerhouse, as the edgier music really provides a backdrop that allows Jodi to shine.   

"Shine" is something of an outlier here, with its island rhythm and Essex's reggae-styled vocal delivery.  Very laid back in its structure and presentation, "Shine" is nothing like anything else on the EP and I'm a bit torn on my feelings for it.  On the one hand, the track almost doesn't seem to fit what is an otherwise rock-centric album.  On the other, Essex sounds very confident in her delivery here and you can hear her smile as she sings, particularly on the chorus.  Wisely placed at the end of the EP, "Shine" doesn't damage the release by any means, and I find myself inclined to repeat it from time to time, but it doesn't grab me for the same reason as a track like "Offend" or "Bandaid".

In a perfect world, Fearless would be garnering all sorts of attention in both the Christian and secular markets, but as is the case with anyone not named Skillet, Red, or maybe Stryper, there are very few chances for Christian artists to crossover these days, especially with all radio being programmed basically the same.  As such, I challenge readers to snag a copy of this digital release and share the love with their friends and family, spreading the word about the talent of this vocal powerhouse. Lyrically bold and passionate, and musically dynamic, Fearless is one great guitar rock album, Christian or not.

Check out jodiessex.com for more information, or find the digital EP on all major streaming platforms.  

Rating:  Crankable...very crankable...so turn this up to an 8.5!

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JONES STREET "Out Of The Gutter"

 

(c) 2022 Eonian Records

1. Dancin' With The Devil
2. Tell Me Why
3. What Comes Around
4. Thieves Of Love
5. Take Your Love
6. Razor To My Wrist
7. When It All Comes Down
8. Won't Be Forgotten
9. F**k Authority
10. On The Edge (demo)

Shawn Crosby--Lead Vocals

Jonny Jones--Guitars, Backing Vocals

Mickey Perez--Guitars, Backing Vocals

John (JJ) Jauregui--Bass, Backing Vocals

Rob Hanna--Drums (1, 2, 4, 5 & 10)

Anthony Focx--Drums (3, 6, 7, 8, 9)

Additional Musicians

Carmen Appice--Backing Vocals on "Thieves Of Love"

Jimmy Bain--Backing Vocals on "Thieves Of Love"

Wade Williams--Backing Vocals on "Thieves Of Love"

The current trend is for a lot of "retro labels" to dig around in the smoldering remains following the atomic bomb of grunge to see if there is something worth giving a second shot to.  Most of the time we are thrown a nostalgic bone with a package from a regional band or one-hit wonder act that had a handful of demos or independent records that were "the hottest band in Hollywood" according to the releasing label's press.  But, if we are really honest with ourselves, there are a really just a handful of albums from that collision between Hollywood and Seattle that had the potential to be scene-stealers, in my mind.  Most of those involved bands arriving on the scene just a year or two too late. Sure, there are several SONGS from various bands that I think could have been big hits, but if honesty is the goal, and not just nostalgia, there aren't a vast number of albums that likely could have just lit the hard rock world on fire had grunge not exploded...or had the band not imploded.  Again, if we're being honest, by 1991, a lot of labels were just throwing hair band after hair band against the wall to see who would stick and become the "next big thing", although, as we are all well aware of, NOTHING really stuck after Nirvana and Pearl Jam hit the scene.  But, there were a few really, really good debut records that should have, could have, would launched careers had something been even slightly different for the band.  I'm talking about albums where the band had the look, the sound, the songs, and the talent to make it BIG.  Wildside's Under The Influence (1992) comes immediately to mind.  Bangalore Choir's On Target (also 1992) is another. I'd even throw in Tuff's What Comes Around Goes Around (late 1991), and the massively underrated Sledgehammer Ledge self-titled debut album (1994) into the mix.  And now, with the re-release of this killer collection from Eonian Records, I think all fans will agree that Jones Street should be in that mix!

These ten tracks, all recorded between 1990 and 1994, weren't given a proper release until...get this...2008 on their long-out-of-print Dancin' With The Devil album, which is virtually impossible to find at a decent price these days.  I managed to snag one in a trade about a decade ago, and instantly fell in love with the sleaze-drenched hard rock of this quintet, so when Eonian announced they were going to reissue it in remastered and repackaged form, I was absolutely stoked!

As soon as I hit play on my copy of the album, it was instant remembrance of why this band was so great!  The first three tracks alone showcase the skill, the power, and the songwriting ability of this 5 man band, with each track bringing something different to the musical table.  The title track from the original release, "Dancin' With The Devil" kicks things off with a sinister, sleazy guitar intro and the wickedly sneering vocals of Crosby, who really and truly had it all in terms of sound, style, and sass.  Part Phil Lewis (LA Guns), part Taime Downe (Faster Pussycat), and part Drew Hannah (Wildside), Crosby's voice is the demon at the wheel of this tricked-out sleaze machine, and his dominant performance here, and elsewhere on the record, is truly something to treat your ears to.  Not to be outdone are the guitar acrobatics of Jones and Perez, who present themselves as a force to be reckoned with at all times on this record.  Here, the interplay between the rhythm guitars and the leads is excellent, and the remastering done on this Eonian release (more on that later) really cleans up the sonics nicely.  Add in the bruising bass work from JJ and the frantic skin-bashing from Hana, and you have a monstrous opening track that will likely have just about every new listener hooked from the get-go.

"Tell Me Why" throws an immediate curveball to the listener with its steel guitar intro and more laid-back sonic approach, Jones Street proves itself to be more than a one-trick pony.  Crosby slips into Dizzy Dean (Britny Fox) mode here and there on this decidedly more radio-friendly track that even features a mandolin in the mix, giving it a cool, bluesy feel that sets it apart from so much of the scorching street rock that surrounds it.

Speaking of which, "What Comes Around" blasts the band right back into full-sleaze mode with a fast and dirty rhythm guitar riff, some seriously aggressive cymbal bashing, and plenty of sass and sneer from Crosby.  The gang vocals on the chorus section are every bit as nasty as they should be, never sounding highly polished or endlessly layered, but rather jagged-edged and raw and gritty, exactly as they should be.

"Thieves of Love" is the first of two ballads on the album, and like it or not, it had to happen as the big lighter-in-the-air power ballad was still the darling of MTV when the first couple of tracks on this album were originally recorded.  Despite the song's musical stylings, lyrically this is still Jones Street sleaze, with a "love 'em, leave 'em, move onto the next town" attitude toward the "love" these guys were seeking while on tour.  Jones inserts an excellent, emotive string-bender of a solo here, and even when he is trying to sound tender and emotional, Crosby simply can't erase the snarly rasp from his voice...or likely the evil glint in his eye...as he croons to the Miss Right-now that is his love of the moment.  Not exactly slow dance at the prom lyrics, but definitely fool around after the prom music sure to steam up some windows.

"Take Your Love" sets things back into full-throttle rocking mode, minus a brief bridge section that finds the band backing off just a bit to allow Crosby to experiment with a basically spoken-word section, which works just fine.  "Razor To My Wrist" starts off with some serious guitar grinding that leads the listener to believe a full-on metal assault may be in the offing, but the song morphs into more of a mid-tempo rocker on the verse sections before punching things up on the chorus stretches.  Crosby is at his vocal best here, employing various segments of his range and altering his delivery style from a more controlled singing approach to a full-throated snarl, and Jones and Perez rip and tear with their dual-axe attack.  This is one song that I have always found myself drawn back to time and time again; there's just something about the way the song is structured that keeps drawing me back, despite the fact that there is still something of a demo quality to the recording (according to the notes, this was done in a rehearsal studio, and not in a full-blown recording studio).  In fact, maybe it is this more raw sound that draws me in so much.  Regardless of why, I simply love this track and the remastered version here does boost the sound and sonic quality of the track noticably.

Speaking of "rehearsal studio" material, the next track, "When It All Comes Down" is of the same quality...for the same reason.  To me, that shows even more just how skilled this band was, because this is an excellent bluesy ballad with some serious solo work from Jones laid across an otherwise acoustic-guitar driven track.  The drum line here is rather basic, as is typically the case with a ballad such as this, but man, that fully-amped lead guitar is something to behold!  I can't help but wonder what this would have sounded like in full-studio mode, but this version is no slouch, to be sure.

"We Won't Be Forgotten" is back to fully-produced studio material, and this is an absolute banger!  The real treat here are the vicious backing vocals on the chorus which add an urgency that simply has to be heard.  Stylistically, the song reminds me of a Skid Row track (or more precisely, a Sledgehammer Ledge track, which is like a violent, angry Skid Row, but most people don't know who Sledgehammer Ledge is, so...), with some wicked guitar work from Jones and Perez, rock-solid drums from Focx, and the most powerful vocals that Crosby delivers on the entire record in terms of sheer sonic force and upper-range screaming.  This is a serious fist-in-the-air anthem that had to be a blast to be a part of live.

Every bit as sleazy and rebellious as its title would imply, "F**k Authority" is a high-speed, sleaze-punk metallic assault on the senses.  Once again, think of the most aggressive Skid Row material you can, get just a bit nastier with it, and you have a pretty good idea of what you are being blasted with here.  Much like "We Won't Be Forgotten", I can guarantee this was a live setting favorite that likely had a mosh pit swirling the second Crosby shouted the title from the stage.  

The Eonian Records release includes a demo version of a track not found on the original release called "On The Edge", which is another scorching rocker that finds Crosby absolutely screaming his way through the chorus sections while backing off just enough to be categorized as singing the verses.  Once again, the guitar tandem of Jones and Perez is a powerful force, but in this demo form, it is a bit harder to pick out the separation between the guitars.  I believe Jones is the driving force behind the big solo that leads into the final chorus run, and once again he shows that he was every bit the talent of his stylistic peers of the late 80s/early 90s.  Focx is a monster behind the kit on this one, and JJ's bass, while a bit harder to pick up in the mix, is still a presence that I think would have been bolstered more with full production.  Again, the band and label fully admit to this being a demo track, but I have to say it is a really good demo that would have definitely found space on a proper album release had the music scene not imploded as it did in 1991-92.

Two tracks from Dancin' With The Devil were not included here, with both "Out On Skid Row" and "The Word" (also known as "The Word F**k") omitted.  The loss of "The Word" is of no significance, it was just comedic intro that has nothing to do with the actual album, and the band collectively decided to remove it from this new effort.  As to "Out On Skid Row", that song was actually never even a Jones Street track, and only Crosby performed on it with an entirely different band (Orphan).  Again, with Jones Street not actually being the performer on that track, the band decided to cut it as well, opting instead to add "On The Edge" in its demo form.  

As is typically the case, the packaging on this release from Eonian is superb!  The booklet has numerous photographs, songwriting info, credits, and a nice retrospective look at the history of the band.  Check out just a couple of pages from the booklet below.

Additionally, the remastering job done by drummer Focx is stellar.  To my ear, Focx really cleaned up the mix, gave the bottom end a boost, and really allows the instruments and vocals to separate much more cleanly than on the original release.  While I don't have the analytical equipment a lot of people seem to employ on social media these days to point out the flaws in remastered releases, to me, this is obviously not just a "bump up the volume/max out the EQ" remaster job by any stretch.  This is some solid work done here by a guy who, as a member of the band, had real reason to care about the outcome, and it shows to me.

Even if you happen to be, like me, one of the luck people who have known about Jones Street for a few years now, and who happen to already own Dancin' With The Devil, it is well worth the investment to snag this Out Of The Gutter remaster/reissue.  Regardless of the omission of one song (and one intro), every other thing on this Eonian release is done better than on the original.  In the end, I think many of you will agree with me in my assessment that had the timing been even slightly better, Jones Street's one and only release would likely have made a solid impact in the hard rock/hair metal/sleaze metal scene of the late 80s.  What a difference just a couple of years made for these guys who coulda/woulda/shoulda been much, much bigger!

Rating:  Oh so crankable!  This is a dang-near perfect 9.5 for me!  

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GUNSHY "Mayday"

 

(c) 2022 Lion's Pride Music

1. N862B
2. Ticket 2 Heaven
3. You Take My Heart
4. Last Chance
5. Fool
6. Sometimes
7. Superstition
8. Love Is A Game
9. Sherry's On Fire
10. Music Man
11. Friends and Lovers
12. Why (Bonus Track)

John Luke--Lead, Backing Vocals

Patrick Reilly--Keys, Backing Vocals

Steve DiBiasi--Guitars, Backing Vocals

Mark Levin--Bass, Backing Vocals

Max Zach--Drums, Backing Vocals

Additional Musicians

Jamie St. James--Backing Vocals

Tommy Thayer--Backing Vocals

Todd Jensen--Backing Vocals

Scott Reese--Backing Vocals

Terrie Carlos--Backing Vocals on "Superstition" and "Music Man"

Phyliss Balie--Backing Vocals on "Superstition" and "Music Man"

There are a lot of labels that are doing the whole "look who we found" thing, releasing albums by bands that practically nobody has heard of, and many by bands that, well, probably shouldn't have been heard of, to be candid.  Occasionally, however, a lost and forgotten band pops up that really grabs my attention.  Gunshy's only album (that I am aware of), Mayday, is one that really and truly should have been heard.  As a result, these guys get added to my "Right Sound, Wrong Time" files, as Gunshy is a band that woulda, coulda, shoulda been huge had they just struck at the right time.  Mayday dropped about 5 or 6 years too late, releasing in 1995 on the tiny, independent Long Island Records label, virtually guaranteeing that nobody heard the excellent late 80s hard radio rock this band churns out on this release.  Japan's Pony Canyon label re-released in in 1996, but again, most people probably missed it.  Now, remastered and repackaged with a bonus track, Mayday is finally available to a wider audience with Lion's Pride's 2022 release.  

At times, Gunshy reminds me of a cross between the gritty, blue collar hard rock of Tesla combined with a more polished, more melodic band such as Danger Danger, or maybe a bit harder band like Baton Rouge.  Of course, on "Superstition", comparisons to Extreme are going to be drawn, but more on that in a minute.  Lead vocalist John Luke has a definite Jon Bon Jovi quality to his vocal delivery style, or maybe more of an Eric Martin (Mr. Big), but he also throws in that Jeff Keith grit from time to time, as well.  It really depends upon the songs, which we'll dive into now.

The album kicks off with, you guessed it, an intro.  This one is of some communication between a pilot (presumable a fighter pilot based upon the album cover) and an air traffic control tower.  It's short, it's not musical at all, and it serves no real purpose, but it's not a major distraction, I suppose.  This bleeds directly into "Ticket 2 Heaven" (I'll touch on that "bleeding into" part later), a song which, structurally, reminds me a lot of Great Radio Controversy era Tesla, especially in the way the chorus is put together.  An excellent guitar solo from DiBiasi (one of numerous such solos on the record) tears across the track following the second chorus, and it is immediately apparent this band had a lot going for it!

"You Take My Heart" has an interesting percussion build to start the track before a very Top Gun sounding (trust me, you'll know what I mean when you hear it) guitar line weaves its way into the song along with a supporting bed of keys.  The track develops into more of a melodic hard rock number from this point with the song definitely something in the Danger Danger vein, stylistically.  "Last Chance" continues in this vein, incorporating a very 80s guitar line and keyboard style into a mainstream rock radio-styled song that sits somewhere between ballad and mid-tempo rocker.  Three songs in, it becomes extremely obvious that these guys are simply too late to the party, as they have all the songwriting skills and musical chops to have competed with so many of the bands that found their way onto 80s rock radio and MTV, and likely not just Headbanger's Ball.  I think these guys could have transcended and made some inroads into the Top 40. 

"Fool" again wends its way into second-album Tesla territory, again primarily in the way the chorus is structured and the delivery style of Luke.  That being said, the guitar solo is more "Hollywood hair" styled than anything you typically hear from Tesla, but I think once you hear the chorus section and then compare it to something like "Makin' Magic". "Flight To Nowhere", or "Lady Luck", you will know exactly what I am referring to.

The only true ballad of the album hits next, and its pretty good.  The keys, in the form of electric piano, play a predominant role here, and Luke fluctuates his delivery style and range quite a bit here, adding an element of angst to the track.  The solo from DiBiasi is a big string-bender, packing quite the emotional wallop, and the big harmony vocals coming out of that solo are exceptional.  I get the feeling the band was steered in this direction by a label exec somewhere, and then the album just broke too late to get the big airplay this song would likely have garnered a few years earlier.  Who knows.  I could see 18 year old me slow dancing with my prom date to this song, but 25 year old me...which I would have been when the album originally came out....had moved on from the big Monster ballads for the most part, as had most of the music world.

Throughout the years, I have heard bands cover a wide variety of songs and styles, but to the best of my knowledge, I hadn't heard anyone tackle Stevie Wonder...until now.  A couple of oddly paired sound effects (a glass breaking and a baby crying) kick the song off and the musical talent of the guys becomes apparent immediately. Not only does Gunshy take on the R&B legend, they cover one of his more well-known songs, "Superstition".  I remember first hearing this song as a kid in the mid-70s as it appeared on Sesame Street, of all things, and it is a track that has stuck with me for nostalgic reasons, seemingly forever.  So hearing a band that is far more my style than Stevie Wonder tackle the track was something pretty wild to me!   As I mentioned in the opening paragraph, you could consider that a band such as Extreme might take on a funky track such as this, complete with a horn section (I'm assuming handled by the keys, as no brass section was credited here), but to say that Gunshy nails this song would be an understatement.  Luke's vocals take on a sassy quality that suits the music perfectly here, and it is obvious he is having a blast on this outside-the-box track.  Once again, the guitar acrobatics of DiBiasi are simply off the charts as he blazes through an incredible fret run, but the rest of the band deserves some serious credit for the funkafied delivery here!  The bass is a lot of fun here, and Zach's percussion work is absolutely spot-on!  I know there are going to be people who don't like this, but if I'm being honest, I hit repeat pretty much every time this track comes on my player.  Tight, bright, performances from the band, and some killer female backing vocals create a really, really fun track that jumps out from the very first listen.

Luke slips back into a Bon Jovi-esque delivery style on "Love Is A Game", which is another well-written tune that is definitely straight out of the 80s with its keyboard build at the start and the sharp, snappy snare line and a truly 80s guitar line bringing the track to full life.  Again, Danger Danger is a good style comparison, and I can't say enough about how well the backing vocals are done here, and really throughout the record.  DiBiasi gives the listener a lesson on tapping during his extended solo run our of the second chorus, leading into a vocal bridge that starts off rather starkly only to build in intensity until the chorus hits again.

For my money, "Sherry's On Fire" may be the standout track on the entire album (although "Superstition" and "Ticket 2 Heaven" are both big for me, as well).  A big, catchy chorus, understated supporting keyboards, and a ripping guitar solo all combine with the big, arena-filling drums here to deliver a track that absolutely would have found radio play in 1989.   An ode to the stripper the singer is apparently infatuated with, this has Headbanger's Ball video spray-painted all over it!  Did I mention how catchy this is?  Wow!  The gang vocals on the chorus are stacked to perfection, and the song just absolutely grabs the listener in a big way.  Yet another track that I find myself repeating with great frequency.  You can hear it below.

"Music Man" is a bit of a miss for me, as the band seems to be going for a Mr. Big, "To Be With You", vibe, especially on the first verse which is just Luke's vocals and Levin's bass accompanied very starkly by what sounds like some electronic percussion (it just doesn't sound to me like an actual high-hat).  To be fair, I don't hate the song, and it is performed very well, with some solid female backing vocals and yet another big, melodic solo from DiBiasi, but it feels like an obvious grab at something that worked for another band in another time.  Let's be fair, this type of song was never going to be played in 1995, so maybe the band should be given some grace and chalk it up to the guys paying homage to a band they looked up to.  I don't skip the song, but I don't seek it out, either.

"Friends And Lovers" wraps the original album in up-tempo, punchy fashion, with a catchy tune that may not be overly deep or original, but is still a fun listen.  The chorus is catchy as heck, and again, with everybody in the band singing back-ups, the harmony vocals are one of the high points here (and throughout the entire album).  DiBiasi continues to treat every song here as his own personal guitar clinic, and I have to wonder just how popular he (and the rest of Gunshy) could have been had they caught on just a few short years earlier.  The extra urgency added to the drums as the band runs through the last chorus section here is a nice touch, and the original Mayday comes to a close.

On this reissue, Lion's Pride has unearthed a new track in "Why", which is the hardest-hitting, most metal song on the record.  Obviously still in demo form here, this is a seriously aggressive rocker that I have to think was intended for a follow-up release.  Luke's vocals are FAR lower in register here than anywhere on Mayday, and he uses a rough, raspy delivery that borders on bellowing at times, especially in the verse sections.  On the chorus, you can hear some of the more melodic, hair metal style he used on the main tracks of Mayday, but here, this is a much darker, angrier sounding song than the good-time, hard-rocking party music the first 11 tracks delivered.  This is metal, plain and simple.  The guitars are edgy and aggressive, while still flashy during the solo section, and the drums are basically beat to death during the track.  I would love...LOVE...to hear the entire demo the band put together for this second record (if such a thing exists), as I really dig what the guys were doing here, although I suspect a lot of people will skip it or drop it from their own personal rip.  "Why" truly sounds like a song from a different band in a lot of ways. 

Pulling out all the stops, even on production, the band enlisted the help of Pat Regan, who has worked with such well-known acts as KISS, Keel, Mr. Big, Quiet Riot, Deep Purple, and even Weird Al Yankovic!  The result is a very professional sounding record, smooth and polished, with a solid voice given to every instrument in the mix.  My one complaint on the production would be that the jet sounds were left under the mix for a bit too long as the intro concluded and "Ticket 2 Heaven" kicked off.  It made the beginning of "Ticket..." sound a bit rough to me, and it is corrected well before any vocals kick in, but had this been the 80s, and if radio gave a damn about melodic rock, I think this little production hiccup would have killed "Ticket..." as far as a single release goes.  Again, very minor and maybe not even something most people would note.

I honestly don't know enough about them to know a real backstory here, whether they were just kids in the mid-to-late-80s or if they slogged it out in the club scene for several years, only to get blindsided by grunge.  I do know that they had some fairly big-name supporters, with both Jamie St. James and Tommie Thayer of Black N Blue making appearances in the backing vocals section, along with Todd Jensen (I'm assuming this is the Todd Jensen who played bass for Doro and Harlow in the 90s).  I make this assumption as Mr. Regan, who produced the album, also worked with Doro.  (Incidentally, Jensen played on the metal goddesses' album, Doro, which was produced by not only Regan, but also Tommy Thayer...and Gene Simmons.  But I digress...) 

Overall, I was extremely impressed by this release, and I find myself playing it frequently.  The songwriting is excellent, the vocals...both lead and harmony/backing...are top-notch, and the musicians are impressive.  DiBiasi was a massive guitar talent who seemingly poured everything he had into this album, pulling out all of his tricks and leaving nothing behind.  If this was out in1989, Gunshy would have been a big-time player, I have little doubt.  Definitely an album worth adding to your collection!

Rating: A excellent and very crankable 8.5!

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