SEBASTIAN BACH "Kicking And Screaming"

(c) 2011 Frontiers Records

1. Kicking And Screaming
2. My Own Worst Enemy
3. Tunnelvision
4. Dance On Your Grave
5. Caught In A Dream
6. As Long As I've Got The Music
7. I'm Alive
8. Dirty Power
9. Live The Life
10. Dream Forever
11. One Good Reason
12. Lost In The Night
13. Wishin'

Sebastian Bach--Lead Vocals
Nick Sterling--Lead Guitars, Bass, Backing Vocals
Bobby Jerzombek--Drums, Backing Vocals
John 5--Guitars on "Tunnelvision"

Many people hailed 2007's Angel Down as the return of Bas, although I don't know that he ever really left, to be honest.  Sure, his previous solo effort had been a live album of him covering himself as the lead vocalist of Skid Row, but he also did the very solid Frameshift album Absence Of Empathy, the somewhat under-the-radar DVD Forever Wild, and found himself on numerous tribute albums.  Oh, and there was also that stint starring in "Jesus Christ, Superstar" and several appearances on VH1 shows as a host of various hard rock and heavy metal countdowns.  Not exactly laying low....

If there was one knock on the Angel Down project, it would be that a lot of people felt Bas had abandoned singing in favor of a more screamed vocal style, and that is a fair assessment.  I think that this partly Bach feeling like he had something to prove and partly the fact that he still had a lot of anger and bitterness stored up inside of him, but I also think a lot of people forget that this was something he had been progressing toward as far back as the last Skid Row album.  He appears to be largely over whatever it was that motivated him to sing/scream in that manner, however, as Kicking And Screaming is far more in line with Slave To The Grind-era Sebastian Bach vocals...and it works incredibly well!  In fact, I dare say this is the album that both Bach and Skid Row have each been trying to record since the two camps went their separate ways, as neither has come even close to this performance level since that split.

What makes this album so special, aside from Bas's return to singing, is the introduction of the totally unknown Nick Sterling as guitarist and bassist for this album.  Folks, I don't know here this kid was hiding (and I do mean kid...he's not even half of Bach's 44 years old...), but I can tell you there are a LOT of bands that wish they had found him.  This kid is a whiz on both stringed instruments, with some killer leads and solos scattered throughout the disc, as well as solid rhythm and bass playing to really cement the songs together.  Bach would do well to keep this kid under some kind of contract for future recording efforts because Sterling is a truly gifted player that would seem to still have many years of musical growth and maturation that will supplement his already incredible talents.

As far as the songs go, several have a very Slave-ish feel to them, although with a more modern production sound.  "As Long As I Got The Music" is a prime example of this, and is one particular track where Sterling shines as well.  Other songs, such as the title track and "Tunnelvision" lean more in the modern rock direction while still retaining a strong sense of melody.  Wanting a power ballad or two?  "I'm Alive" fits that bill nicely, and while not a full-fledged lighter-hoister, "Dream Forever" is another slower number that allows Bach to showcase his talents.  "Wishin'" is another slower track that rounds out the disc really well.  For my money, however, Bach is at his best on the faster numbers here, with "One Good Reason", "Dance On Your Grave", and "Dirty Power" all being nice and aggressive while still retaining the types of hooks that sink into your skin and refuse to let go.

A couple of tracks miss ever-so-slightly, at least to me.  "Caught In A Dream" is one that comes to mind.  It isn't that it is a terrible song, and musically, it is actually one of my favorites, but something about Bas' delivery, especially on the chorus, bugs me.  This is the only song that the "whiney" side of Bach's vocals really rears its ugly head.  This has occasionally been a problem in his live performances, even going back to the Skid Row days, but rarely did it find its way onto an album.  This is one of those few times.  "Lost In The Night" is a song that I absolutely love...until the chorus.  This song is smoking, really chugging along...and then the chorus just seems to bog it down somehow.  Maybe more time with this track will change my mind, and by no means does it warrant skipping...I don't know...something about it just seems a bit off, at least for me right now.

There is no doubt this album will crack numerous people's top ten of 2011 lists, mine likely included; a top twenty slot is absolutely guaranteed.  It will be interesting to see if Skid Row attempts to pick up the gauntlet that Bach has thrown down here and step up with a comeback album of their own, but I highly doubt they will be able to come close to this album, as Kicking And Screaming is extremely solid, very entertaining, and full of attitude...something both acts have been missing since saying a not-so-nice goodbye to each other.

Rating:  Crank this baby to 9.

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HELIX "Skin In The Game EP"

(c) 2011 Sleaze Roxx Music

1. William Tell Overture
2. Skin In The Game
3. The Bitch Is A Bullet
4. Angelina
5. Champagne Communist

Brian Vollmer--Lead Vocals
Brent Doerner--Lead Guitars
Kaleb Duck--Guitars
Daryl Gray--Bass, Keyboards
Fritz Hinz--Drums

Okay, I have to admit, I have NO CLUE why Brian Vollmer decided to start out his latest Helix offering with the instrumental "William Tell Overture".  To say that it is a bit bizarre to start off ANY album with an instrumental, let alone an EP that only has five songs, would be an understatement.  However, this oddity perhaps best displays the fact that Vollmer and his band are still doing things their own way, traditions be damned.

Skin In The Game manages to reunite most of the commercially popular 1980's Helix line-up, as Vollmer is joined again by Brent Doerner, Daryl Fray, and Fritz Hinz, with newcomer Kaleb Duck playing second guitar.  As one might expect with this "classic" line-up in place, there is really nothing new that is done in these five tracks to make the listener wonder just who the heck they are listening to.  This EP sounds just like Helix, with Vollmer at times sounding a bit like Dee Snider of Twisted Sister fame, as per his usual sound.  There are no ballads to be found here, with all the songs being mid-to-uptempo rockers.  "Angelina" is the most polished sounding of the tracks here, lending a bit of a classic rock vibe to the effort, but still sounding at home among the rest of the grittier, gruffer sounding cuts.  "Champagne Communist" features some obvious keyboard elements not as present on other songs, and Vollmer backs off a bit on the edginess of his vocals, but even these elements don't detract from the overall classic Helix sound.

If anything, Skin In The Game sounds like it could be a few songs that were left over from the band's last effort, "Vagabond Bones", but I have read elsewhere that this is not the case.  This makes me wonder a bit about why a band with the back catalog of Helix would be releasing an EP at this stage of their career, but, then again, Helix have never really done things the way every other band has, so who am I to question their methods or motives.  Helix still sounds largely like Helix, so if you are a fan, you will likely enjoy this little disc; if not, don't waste your time or cash.

Rating:  Rock this at 6.5...there's nothing earthshaking here, nor is there anything legacy-eroding.

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HOUSE OF LORDS "Big Money"

(c) 2011 Frontiers Records

1. Big Money
2. One Man Down
3. First To Cry
4. Someday When
5. Searchin'
6. Living In A Dream World
7. The Next Time I Hold You
8. Run For Your Life
9. Hologram
10. Seven
11. Once Twice
12. Blood

James Christian--Lead Vocals
Jimi Bell--Guitars
Chris McCarvill--Bass
BJ Zampa--Drums
Jeff Kent--Keyboard, Bass, Backing Vocals

House Of Lords does very little to surprise anyone whenever they put out a new album.  In fact, the biggest curiousity on an HoL album is who is going to be in the band other than quite possibly the most-underrated vocalist in the hard rock/AOR/melodic metal genre, James Christian.  If you pick up a House Of Lords album you expect strong vocals, above average-to-excellent songwriting, top-notch guitars, and a handful of truly memorable songs.  Big Money is not an exception on any of these fronts, as this is a very strong effort from one of the few bands of the 1980's/early 1990's who still sound almost EXACTLY the same now as they did then.

While I don't particularly care for the intro to the title track, the rest of the song is solid and a good indication of where this album will go, with a driving, up-tempo rhythm, powerful lead vocals, a great little guitar solo, and big, layered choruses.  Track two, "One Man Down" is easily one of my favorites, as it segues from an intro section that will remind many of "Can't Find My Way Home" into a blatantly Zeppelin-esque guitar riff and vibe that carries the last 2/3 of the track.  Killer, killer song, especially considering I am an openly non-fan of Led Zeppelin for the most part.  Elsewhere, songs like "First To Cry", "Seven", and "Run For Your Life" are just like an old, favorite sweatshirt:  incredibly comfortable, well-broken in and perfectly fitting, and so familiar you smile everytime you put it on...you just know this is what you came for when you pulled it out of the closet.  These songs are so purely House Of Lords that, if you are like me, you will feel like you have heard them before while at the same time grinning from ear-to-ear at the thrill of such great new music coming from a band you have loved for so long.

The band does experiment a little bit, with a song like "Hologram" using some minor vocal effects and layering on the chorus, for example, but not to such a degree that you start to wonder if you are listening to an entirely different band.  "First To Cry" is a bit more radio-friendly than many are used to hearing from HoL, but again it is not an annoyance, and the listener likely won't feel like this is a sell-out attempt so much as it is an attempt to tone down the "bigness" of the typical House Of Lords song.     

Christian is at the top of his game here, and never do I hear even a slight indication that he is struggling with his range or in maintaining his pitch and timbre.  Unlike David Coverdale, for example, who while still vocally powerful yet obviously not as rangey as he once was, Christian is able to reach the highs and scrape the lows that he has always used. 

Jimi Bell is an excellent addition to this studio-version of the band (I have no idea who will play live), and he is given multiple opportunities to shine on Big Money.  "Run For Your Life" has a great solo right before the closing chorus that gives him a chance to stretch the strings a bit.  "Seven" features another great solo, but nowhere is his influence on the album's sound more prominent than on the previously-gushed about song "One Man Down".  Excellent axework has always been a hallmark of  House Of Lords' albums, and Bell steps boldly into the shoes of the band's previous guitar heroes and meets or exceeds expectations at every turn.

This is not to say that this album is 100% without its flaws.  For one, it is a little bit odd to me that the bass is so low in the mix here, which leaves some songs missing a bit of punch.  Typically, Frontiers Records is known for solid production and mixing on its albums, but this one seems just a slight bit off.  It is not something that destroys any one song, but I think that hearing these songs live would really give a person a better idea of what Christian likely was hearing in his head, as the bass is typically more upfrong in the live setting.  Additionally, there are a couple of tracks where the keys are a bit more "in your face" than they have been at any time since Greg Giuffria left the band.  "Someday When" is a prime example of this.  Again, it is not a terrible song, and the keyboards don't kill it off, but they do very nearly overpower the guitar here, especially with the subdued bass lines.

Overall, this is yet again another extremely solid effort from House Of Lords, and I expect that Big Money will find its way onto many year-end Top 10 lists, mine included.  Just how high it finishes will be largely influenced by what comes out in the last quarter of the year and just how highly releases from King Kobra, Night Ranger, Journey, Sebastian Bach, and a handful of others are ranked. 

Rating:  An absolutely crank-worthy album...dial it up to 9!  With a bit more bass, we may be looking at a 10 here...

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LIBERTY N' JUSTICE "Sin" (featuring Jani Lane)

(c) 2011 iTunes single, Up-R-North/Justin Murr Music

1. Sin

Jani Lane--Vocals
Kerri Kelli--Guitars
Bill Leverty--Guitars
JK Northrup--Guitars, Drums
Justin Murr--Bass

Sadly, the hair metal world lost a vocal icon with the passing of Jani Lane just a few weeks ago. With this song, Liberty N' Justce has released the last known full-studio recording by Lane...and it is an incredible song. Released on iTunes, this song will eventually be part of LnJ's Cigar Chronicles release in 2012, but fans of Lane, and of LnJ, can enjoy this truly amazing song now. A heartfelt ballad filled with excellent guitarwork, the lyrics to "Sin", much like those of "My Addiction", Lane's previous effort with LnJ, seems to really fit what everyone felt about the singer: he was a flawed individual with many demons and sins, but that he was trying to find his way through the haze his life appeared to be so many times. Lane co-wrote the song, along with Northrup, Murr, Kelli, and Scott Bolan, and a portion of the sales of the track will go to charity in the name of Jani Lane.

Warrant fans, Jani Lane fans, Liberty N' Justice fans, and fans of great hard rock will not want to miss this song at such a bargain price. Stop reading and go download it now...


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BULLETBOYS "Rocked & Ripped"

(c) 2011 Cleopatra Records

1. Dr. Feelgood
2. Livin' On A Prayer
3. Take Me Home Tonight
4. Faithfully
5. Balls To The Wall
6. Free Fallin'
7. Renegade
8. Falling In Love
9. F**kin' Perfect
10. The Rover
11. I'll See You In My Dreams
12. Colder Weather
13. Rehab
14. Broken Wings
15. Tiny Dancer
16. Smooth Up In Ya (2011 version)

Marq Torien--Vocals, Guitar, Bass, Percussion, Congas
Greg Gatti--Guitars
Chris Turbis--Keyboards
Don "Dish" Bish--Drums

When, oh when, are we going to put a bullet in the idea of 80's bands doing all-covers albums?  Not only has the idea been done to death, it is not being done very well in most cases.  I wish I could say that this new Bulletboys attempt at the lame trend is the exception, but sadly it follows the rule.  This is generally NOT a good record at all, although there are a couple of above average tracks here and a few out-of-the-ordinary choices that keep from bombing totally.

Most of these albums fall into one of two camps.  There's the "do it as close to the original as possible" camp and then there's the "make it our own" camp.  Marq Torien and his "band" (he has fired all of these players at last report...) generally stick to the paint-by-numbers style here, with very little variation in most of the performances.  Musically, "Dr. Feelgood" is pretty much a clone of the Motley Crue version and, perhaps surprisingly to many, Vince Neil actually does a better job vocally than the usually smooth-Torien, who sounds like he is having a bit of trouble controlling his screams.  "Livin' On A Prayer", likewise, does virtually nothing musically to distinguish itself from the original, although less than stellar production doesn't help the sound.  On this track, however, Torien's voice sounds considerably stronger, but still not in the same arena as good ole' Jon.  Poor production once again damages what could have been one of the best songs on this album with the third track, a cover of Eddie Money's "Take Me Home Tonight".  Torien's voice sounds really good here, but the recording is so muddy it is almost hard to listen to. 

I have to say that I was shocked to hear the attempt to cover Journey's "Faithfully" because you are talking about one of the most well-known hard rock/arena rock/AOR songs of all time.  Guess what.  It is probably the best song on this album and is EASILY the best cover version of this classic I have ever heard (unless you count the multiple versions of Journey covering themselves through the years...).  Torien doesn't try to outsing Steve Perry or alter the song to make it something it isn't, and as a result he really delivers here.  Excellent work here that gave me hope that maybe there were a few more gems to dig out here. 

Before we get to anything even remotely good, however, Torien and Co. absolutely BUTCHER a couple of classic songs.  "Balls To The Wall" is terrible, especially with the bizarre vocal effects Torien uses here.  Musically it is almost dead-on, but, wow...these vocals are BAD on the verses and, well, there is no other Udo, so Torien really stood no chance here.  This is one track that would have been better off left on the cutting room floor.  Tom Petty gets the slaughterhouse treatment next, as Torien really can't do the chorus justice and, once again, the production is just of very poor quality.  For a non-Petty fan like me to tell you I actually PREFER Petty's version is pretty bad, so take that for what it's worth. 

Things look up a bit with Styx's "Renegade".  Once again, a MASSIVE classic is actually handled fairly well here, so Torien is back in good graces with me for the time being.  However, that is pretty short-lived as "Falling In Love" by the Scorpions and "The Rover" by Zeppelin are just not performed well, in my opinion.  Sandwiched in there is a cover of a Pink song (yes, I said Pink), with "F**kin' Perfect".  I don't think I can come up with an adjective to explain how bad this song is...seriously...so I won't try, because terrible doesn't even begin to touch it.  The same can be said of the absolutely brutal performance of "I'll See You In My Dreams".  Seriously, Giant is about as close to AOR perfection as you can get and for someone with Torien's voice to attempt to pull off Dann Huff is laughable.  The production is, once again, abysmal, and the guitars are nowhere near the caliber of Huff's.  Again, a track that should never have been attempted.

"Colder Weather", for those who do not know, is a modern country song by the Zac Brown Band.  It is an odd choice for inclusion here, but it is performed pretty well in general, although there are still some muddy production issues.  Not a bad song at all and a gutsy call as this is a pretty popular song.  On the flip side, Amy Winehouse's "Rehab" is brutal...just brutal.  Of course, I don't like the original, so maybe I am being a bit harsh here.

"Broken Wings" is simply out of Torien's range, and on the occasions he is close, production again destroys the effort.  Elton John's "Tiny Dancer" fairs no better. 

The one thing you would think the band couldn't screw up is their own song...right?  Wrong.  Torien sounds like he has lost his ability to scream, and since that is how the song starts, things just go from bad to...well, not good at all.  Really sad to hear the one truly recognizable song of the Bulletboys (for most people, anyway) get such a rough reboot.

This is not a good record by any stretch of the imagination, and I would never recommend buying it.  If I was you, I'd shell out a couple of bucks to download the songs I gave good words to, and then track down originals of any of the other songs that interest you. 

Rating:  Turn this down to 4, with two or three tracks being all that kept me from turning it all the way off!

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MASTEDON "3"

(c) 2009 Frontiers Records

1. Revolution Of Mind
2. Slay Your Demons
3. Nowhere Without Your Love
4. One Day Down By The Lake (See You Real Soon)
5. Water Into Wine (Fassa Rokka)
6. Questions (It's About Time)
7. You Can't Take Anything
8. Lying
9. Western World
10. That's What You Do
11. Dust In The Wind (Bonus Track)

John Elefante--Lead Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
Dan Needham--Drums, Percussion
Anthony Sallee--Bass
Tim Smith--Bass on "Slay Your Demons"
J.R. McNeely--Guitar on "Questions"
Dave Amato--Lead Guitar
Kerry Livgren--Lead Guitar
Dino Elefante--Acoustic and Electric Guitars

As one would likely expect, especially after looking at the list of players, there is a definite Kansas influence on this album in places, but it is not as overwhelming as one might believe.  For fans of that legendary progressive rock band, John Elefante is a familiar name as he was the vocalist and keyboard player on albums such as, Vinyl Confessions and Drastic Measures.  Additionally, Kerry Livgren's is a name that is exceptionally well known, not just to Kansas fans, but to fans of prog rock in general.  Even more, Mastedon chose to include an updated version of "Dust In The Wind" as a bonus track for this album.  But Elefante also does his best to mix in a heavy dose of melodic rock, AOR, and even some classic rock sounds on this latest effort from Mastedon.  With all the early hype this album was receiving, and with me really enjoying the first two Mastedon discs, it isn't surprising that I was really anticipating this new album which comes more than a decade after the last Mastedon effort.  So, does 3 stack up to the greatness of the legendary Kansas or to the equally great, though lesser-known outside of Christian circles, previous two Mastedon records?

In a word...no.

Sadly, I am pretty disappointed in the album overall.  There are some strong pieces here, but the songs really just don't do much for me.  Neither as progressive as anything Kansas did, nor as gritty or edgy as anything done on the previous Mastedon albums, 3 is an overall bland venture to my ears.  Sure, John's voice is still very strong and there is no doubt that Livgren is a highly talented guitarist, and that shows through in places here, also.  But something is missing, and I think I have a couple of ideas as to what that missing link (or links) may be.

First, the previous Mastedon albums were quasi-all-star albums.  Elefante recruited dfferent players and vocalists for various tracks on both It's A Jungle Out There and Lofcaudio, but on this album Elefante handles all the vocals and while Livgren and Dave Amato (REO Speedwagon) add some guest the lead guitars, this is basically a set band of John on vocals, brother Dino on guitars, Dan Needham on drums, and Anthony Sallee (formerly of Whiteheart) on bass.  As such, I think part of the problem for me is that there is not a great variety in the sounds here.  Yes, I know that most bands utilize the same musicians on every song, but that was what was unique about Mastedon, at least for me; I didn't view Mastedon so much as a band as a project, and that is now gone.

Secondly, this album is just too smooth and slick for its own good, which should be expected, at least to a degree, as this is what the Elefante Brothers are noted for in their production styles.  But with that smooth, slick production, some of the emotion seems to be lost in these songs that a bit rougher production might have brought out. 

Finally, this albums suffers from a problem that a lot of melodic rock/AOR albums seem to be suffering from recently:  mid-tempo syndrome.  Everything here is so mid-tempo (or slower in some cases) that everything just kind of runs together.  There are not a lot of highs or lows...just a bunch of middles.  A couple of tracks here seem to be begging to really rock out but they are never allowed to.  "Water Into Wine" and "Lying" are perfect examples of this, and are the "hardest" tracks on the disc, although I think "hard" is overstating it.  "That's What You Do" has some rock to it, also, but not a lot.  Otherwise, everything here is of about the same tempo unless it drifts solidly into ballad territory.  Sure, a lot of it is melodic with some high quality musical performances, with "Revolution Of Mind" and "Slay Your Demons" being a couple of tracks that come to mind, but incredible musicianship just doesn't equate to incredible songs, at least for me.

What is ironic is that the two songs I enjoy the most are the two I likely should NOT enjoy the most.  The remake of "Dust In The Wind" and the big progressive rocker "One Day Down By The Lake" are the two songs that I can honestly say I enjoy here.  Why is that ironic?  Simply put, I am not, nor have I ever been, a Kansas fan with the exception of a couple of songs, yet these two tracks have the biggest Kansas feel to them and are the two most unique sounding songs on the album.  To me, it really says something when a remake is considered a unique song.  That being said, Livgren is in fine form on "One Day..." and at more than ten minutes long, it does give the listener an expanded taste of what I think this album could have been but sadly is not.

Rating:  It is really hard for me to say this, but I would recommend turning this down to 4.

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FAITH NATION "Faith Nation"

(c) 1997 Nightworks Records

1. When God Came Down
2. We Shall Stand
3. Then Love Came In
4. Book Of Life
5. The Raven And The Dove
6. Eternally
7. Grace Me
8. All That I Am
9. Give Me More

Huey Peterson--Guitars
Chris Gilbertson--Vocals
Rick Helm--Keyboards
Matt McClay--Bass
Dan Roussin--Drums

Okay, be honest. Who knew that Faith Nation had a CD out BEFORE their Oridnary People release from 1999? Not this guy. In fact, I stumbled across this one totally by accident and picked it up on a whim, wondering if it was, in fact, the same band. The answer to that question is yes....and no.

I say no because other than lead guitarist and main songwriter Huey Peterson, and bass player Matt McClay, there are NO members on both albums. However, I also say yes because there is no mistaking the style and sound between the two albums. It's not like the two remaining members totally morphed their sound and became a different band between albums.

One thing that always makes me nervous is when I look at the band line-up, see five members, but only ONE guitar player. That, to me, screams keyboards are gonna be very prominent on this album. Not surprisingly, that is definitely the case here. On this self-titled album, things start off very promisingly with the rocking "When God Came Down" that, while incorporating a good dose of keys, still manages to keep the guitars out front for the most part and utilizes a solid, if short, guitar solo. This song is a very nice hard AOR track with some great vocals and an excellent message about God coming to Earth in the form of Christ. Very promising start.

Sadly, at least for me, things don't stay the course. "We Shall Stand" gets very keyboard-laden and almost wanders out of rock territory and into pure CCM territory. One cool thing about this song, however, is the way Peterson's solo weaves the classic Christmas carol "The Little Drummer Boy" into what turns out to be a nearly full minute long outro that also incorporates some of the words from "Amazing Grace". All in all, its a pretty cool song, just not overly hard rocking by any stretch.

"Then Love Came In" is the only true ballad on the album, but other songs such as "Eternally" and "All That I Am" are both decidedly much slower in tempo than the album requires, as it is rarely out of mid-tempo territory. A couple more real good hard rocking tunes would have served this disc well, but sadly after the opening track, the only real rockers are "Book Of Life" and "Grace Me", both of which remind me of Volz-era Petra for some reason. "The Raven And The Dove", oddly, sounds more akin to early Schlitt-era Petra, at least in the arrangement of the song.

Peterson rips off several tasty solos, with the efforts on "The Raven And The Dove", "All That I Am", and "Give Me More" being particularly strong. McClay and Roussin do a fine job of holding things together, and Gilbertson is a more than capable vocalist. In fact, I would go so far as to say I prefer Gilbertson's voice to that of James Salter who would leave The Brave and take over the microphone for Faith Nation on the next release. And, to be fair, Helm has a lot of talent on the keys...they are just far too heavily implemented for my tastes. As a fan of hair metal and melodic hard rock, I can appreciate keyboards as enhancement instruments, with the occasional big role in a well executed power ballad, but this album is so keyboard heavy it drips of sugary gooiness that I just can't swallow in large doses.

One thing that I noticed on this album as opposed to the follow-up disc, Ordinary People is that this disc is a lot less lyrically vague as far as a true Christian stance. That is repeatedly the number one knock I read on reviews of Ordinary People...that it is just so wishy-washy and spiritual, almost New Agey at times, rather than Christian in its lyrics. That is not the case here.

If you can find it, and you are a fan of the more well known Ordinary People, then by all means, pick up Faith Nation if you find it for under $10 or so. If you have to shell out more than that, which I am guessing you will, I personally wouldn't spend it; this album is just too slick, too keyboard heavy, and too CCM meets AOR for my tastes.

Rating: Turn this one down to 4.5, with Peterson's guitar solos being the only reason it scores that high.

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FALLING RED "Hasta La Victoria Siempre EP"

(c)2011 Rocksector Records

1. Come On Down
2. My Little Vice
3. The Last Kiss Goodbye
4. Ain't Down With The Rock

Rozey--Lead Vocals, Guitar
Shane Kirk--Lead Guitar, Backing Vocals
Millsy--Bass, Backing Vocals
Dave Sanders--Drums, Backing Vocals


Not even a full calendar year has passed and we have already been graced with a new release from one of the hottest, most-energetic sleaze bands of the modern generation.  Perhaps not wanting to risk being lost in the shuffle of new bands that come and go on a seemingly weekly basis, of perhaps simply because they like to do things their own way, Falling Red have decided to put out this incredibly high octane EP to tide fans over rather than wait another year or so to release a new full-length album.  I, for one, and dang glad they didn't wait!!!

Hasta La Victoria Siempre picks up exactly where Shake The Faith left off...and then twists the knobs a little higher.  This is four tracks of pure balls-to-the-wall adrenaline charged attitude.  Right from the first punkish-buzz of the guitar on "Come On Down", there is no doubt that Falling Red was not a simple one-shot act.  The sleaze just drips off the chords of this track and the band's collective middle fingers are raised to the modern rock establishment that simply couldn't contain a band of this caliber.  It's easy to see why these guys are sometimes referred to as the Guns N Roses of this generation, although I think such labels are dangerous as they rarely do justice to the bands being compared.  However, the attitude presented here, along with the gritty, ballsy performances, certainly lends itself to such a comparison.

"My Little Vice" backs off ever-so-slightly, but it is still an uptempo rocker with just a bit more mainstream Sunset Strip charm than Hollywood underbelly slime.  The guitars are once again the dominating feature on this track and Rozey's rhythm work coupled with Shane's leads offer up a nasty little teaser for anyone who missed out on Shake The Faith (if that's you, go get it...NOW!).

"The Last Kiss Goodbye" is the one song here that I think has true GnR worship written all over it, but it never goes into rip-off mode.  The guitar tone is very much in the same style as that which Slash used to such over-the-top excess on "November Rain".  With a bit of Skid Row in the vocal stylings, this is a monster of a power ballad that just screams for lighters to be held high when it's performed live.  I can honestly say I have not heard a ballad performed with this sense of power and urgency in a LONG time.  This is an awesome track that is not to be missed.

"Ain't Down With The Rock" is another nasty rocker that closes out this EP in true sleaze fashion.  Think of a much more highly charged antithesis to AC/DC's "For Those About To Rock (We Salute You)".  Falling Red already salutes their fans on a regular basis, so, in their words, if you "Ain't Down With The Rock...F**K RIGHT OFF!"  Whether you view this as a warning (you know...in case YOU ain't down with the rock...), or as a kind of personal anthem, this is Falling Red at the top of their game attitude-wise, and is a great way to close out this EP.

Checking in at just shy of 16 minutes, this is almost too much of a tease, to be honest, as I was begging for a hidden track or something.  I simply didn't want this EP to end!  I truly hope that Falling Red has some other stuff already in the can somewhere, because this is one band that I do NOT want to have to wait a couple of years to hear from again.  These guys have their sound down to an absolute artform and I would rate them with the Crashdiets and Vains Of Jennas of the world...if not a bit higher, to be honest.

Rating:  Despite being an EP, you MUST crank this little tease to 9!

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WASP "Babylon"

 (c) 2009 Demolition Records

1. Crazy
2. Live To Die Another Day
3. Babylon's Burning
4. Burn
5. Into The Fire
6. Thunder Red
7. Seas On Fire
8. Godless Run
9. Promised Land

Blackie Lawless--Lead Vocals, Lead & Rhytm Guitars, Keyboards
Doug Blair--Lead & Rhythm Guitar
Mike Duda--Bass, Vocals
Mike Dupke--Drums

To say that Babylon is not a Christian metal record is to flatly deny what he has said and what the lyrics to (most of) the songs speak themselves.  No, there is not an error in what I am saying here...yes, this is the same WASP, but there is no denying the fact that Blackie Lawless is a completely new man on this album, and that man is a man of faith.

First, I feel it is important to note that not all of these songs are originals to Blackie and his band, and as such all do not lyrically fit the rest of the album. "Burn" is a cover of a Deep Purple song that was actually supposed to be on a previous album but didn't make the final cut. "Promised Land" is a Chuck Berry song that was also recorded by Elvis Presley, although WASP has definitely metal-ed the tune up considerably, while still staying true to the root sound. These songs don't specifically fit with the Biblical and Christian themes of the rest of the album, but "Burn" at least has a similar substance and feel; "Promised Land" is just one of those random, oldies covers that Blackie seems to like to throw out there every now and again.

As to the rest of the album, it is impossible to deny where Blackie is headed here. From the album artwork's depiction of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, to the lyrical content of the original songs, Blackie is obviously on a trip through the Bible and prophecy, especially as presented in Revelations.

"Crazy" starts the album out with a riff that longtime WASP fans are going to swear they have heard before...largely because Blackie basically rips himself off, using a blatant "Wild Child" riff for the intro. The vocals, the guitars, the drum sound...pure classic WASP here, and this is, in my opinion, the perfect lead in for this record, because I am sure there are a LOT of WASP fans out there who think Blackie may just be crazy when they dig into the lyrics of the songs that follow.

"Live To Die Another Day" is another classic-sounding WASP track that starts off with a slight lyrical rearrangement of Psalm 23, with Blackie then singing, "Hellhounds are running close to me, On the trail of my life... I was hellbound but now I'm running free, From Satan's angels of light...". This song is followed by yet another pure WASP-sounding song in "Babylon's Burning", which is lyrically straight out of Revelation. In the liner notes, Blackie makes it clear that he thinks so many of the things that have been going on around the world are directly tied to Bible prophecy and with this song, he really strives to make his point. He even goes so far as to tell the listener/lyrics reader where the last part of his lyrics come from: Revelation 13. Powerful stuff....

"Burn", as previously mentioned, is a cover of a Deep Purple song, but after being given the WASP treatment, it fits perfectly here, although I will admit it was a bit odd having "Babylon's Burning" followed by "Burn"...that's a lot of burning going on, especially since the next track takes us straight "Into The Fire"! This song is the band's first hint at a ballad, although like a lot of WASP "ballads", it isn't exactly a slow, plodding song by any means. One of my top two or three favorites on the album, this is yet another strong effort, especially lyrically, and Blackie's voice continues to remain strong and easily recognizable.

"Thunder Red" picks up the pace once again, and "Seas Of Fire" continues that pace before "Godless Run", the true gem of this album, slows things way down once again. Musically, "Godless Run" sounds like it could have come off the WASP masterpiece The Crimson Idol, but lyrically, there is no WASP song past or present that more speaks to where Blackie is at now. This is an achingly personal, autobiographical song that finds Blackie pouring his heart and soul out, explaining the life he once led.

I truly wish the album had ended with "Godless Run", as I think that would have made the album a nearly flawless 10. However, as Blackie has often done, he throws out an oddball cover here with the Chuck Berry track. Not terrible, but it is a distraction to say the least.

I have been a fan of WASP since the very beginning and it has been very interesting to watch Blackie's progression and searching ever since the Headless Children album (check out the Four Horsemen reference in that title track...). Blackie has shown an anger with religion in the past, as he has stated in interviews, but things have changed. That is not to say that all of WASP's material from this point on will be Christian-based or Christian-themed, but it would seem fairly safe to say that Blackie knows where he is headed personally and spriritually, and one has to expect that his band will head in a similar direction, or at least steer clear of a lot of the territory it travelled in the past.
Rating: Crank this to a very powerful 9! Were it not for the Chuck Berry cover, this would likely be a 10...

For any who wonder if Blackie preaches what he now practices, check out the following video:

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STEPHEN PEARCY "Sucker Punch iTunes songs"

 (c) 2011 Top Fuel Records

1. Too Much Is Never Enough
2. Don't Want To Talk About It
3. Over & Over Again

I have no idea who is playing on these three tracks, which are the first preview songs from the upcoming Sucker Punch release from Ratt frontman, Stephen Pearcy...but I can tell you it ain't Ratt...but it ain't bad!  Sure, this is Pearcy's voice, and there is no mistaking the fact that these songs have a definite Ratt feel in the writing, but the musicianship is a good notch below that of DeMartini, Blotzer, Crane, and Cavazo.  That is not to say that these songs sound bad, because they are actually pretty good.  They are definitely lacking some of the punch and style that Ratt fans may come to the Sucker Punch project expecting, but let this could be due to the production on these three tracks which MAY NOT be the final mixes; it would not shock me at all to find out that Stephen went back and remixed these songs before the Sucker Punch album is released. 

So, what do we have here?  All three are uptempo tracks and have a definite Ratt-feel to the writing.  For those who have been following Pearcy on the 'Net, that should not be a surprise, as he has repeatedly, and somewhat bitterly, stated that he had several songs written for Ratt's Infestation album that were eventually cut from the final product.  He has stated that he took those songs to record for himself, and it would not shock me to learn that all three of these had originally been written for that Ratt disc.   

"Too Much Is Never Enough" contains a classic Ratt sounding riff that sounds like it could have been intended for the Out Of The Cellar or Invasion Of Your Privacy albums, and is my favorite of the three.  The production is a bit weak to my ears, as the background vocals are pretty flat and drums, the cymbals in particular, sound overly out front in spots, which gives them an odd sound.  The guitars are solid, and Pearcy's voice is in fine form, which has often been a problem on his other solo efforts.

"Don't Want To Talk About It" is another solid rocker that sounds more in-line with the Infestation sound.  The backing vocals are better on this one, and the drum sound is more solid as well.  The guitar tone he chooses to use for the solo on this, and the previous song, is a bit unusual, as the distortion is turned way down and the tone has almost a 60's rock n' roll feel to it.  It's an interesting contrast that doesn't harm the song, however,

UPDATE:  As I mentioned in the opening paragraph, it wouldn't surprise me if Stephen went back into the studio and touched up some of these songs, and it appears he did just that with "Don't Want To Talk About It", as the guitar tone is beefed up and given more of a modern sound, as is evidenced in this video.  I'm liking what I hear...see what you think....

The last of the three pre-release songs is "Over & Over Again", which again has a VERY classic Ratt-sounding riff to it, not totally unlike the riff in "Back For More" once it switches from acoustic to electric.  Another solid effort that is far superior to just about anything Pearcy has recorded outside of Ratt or Arcade.

Based on these three songs, I can say two things for sure.  First, I am very excited for Sucker Punch, as I think it will tide me over nicely until the new Ratt album comes out sometime in 2012 or 2013 (Pearcy says 2012 is to be devoted entirely to Ratt).  Secondly, if these songs were intended for Infestation, I think he does have a case when he says that these were stronger than the weakest material on that last Ratt album.  I would love to hear these three tracks given the full Ratt treatment.  As they stand, two of the three have a very strong 80's Ratt feel to them, and the other sounds like more recent Ratt, with all three being solid tracks.  Some minor production issues could easily be fixed before this album is released, but even if they are not adjusted, I will be all over this album like a Ratt on cheese, because if these three are any indication, Sucker Punch is going to be a great album.    

Rating:  Tough to rate just three songs, but I would give each track a crankable 7 or 8 on their own merit, with only minor production issues I mentioned in the review.

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DESYRE "Warning Of The Night"

(c) 2009 G.L.A.M. Nation Records

1. Warning Of The Night
2. Dreams
3. Can't Let Go
4. Yule Night Brightness
5. Calling
6. Mr. Hyde In Delite
7. Ransom
8. No One Knows
9. Undoings Of My Life
10. The Battle
11. Burning In The 3rd Degree

Mazi Bee--Vocals, Lead Guitar
Coco Tommy--Lead Guitar, Backing Vocals
Mike Seeker--Bass, Backing Vocals
Jayce Prime--Drums, Percussion

It's not often that I "want to like" a band.  By that, I mean that rarely do I get a CD from someone I have talked with, that I enjoyed getting to know, and just hoped and prayed that the CD was good because I really like the person.  I was in that situation with Desyre's debut effort, Warning Of The Night, because I had met and chatted with Mazi Bee on-line, and found him to be a very likeable guy, very dedicated to his music and band, not to mention very dedicated to the task of spreading the Gospel through his music.  When he told me the band was recording their debut CD, I pre-ordered it, anxious to get it in my hands and give it a few spins.  I couldn't wait to like this CD.

Sadly, my desire to like it does not match up with what I actually feel about it.

It is not that the music is bad, because it is not.  In fact, the musicianship on the CD is very good for the most part. The guitars, especially, have a great glam/hair metal feel to them, and this band knows exactly the sound they are after, even labelling their sound "Hair Metal Madness" (also the title of their first demo) on the inlay of the digi-pack.  The rhythm section is pretty tight, also, although the sound of the drums is a bit "echoey" (is that a word?) and hollow at times, which I attribute to what was likely a very small redording budget.  Even the song structure is generally sound and very much a throwback to the 1980's.  Lyrically, for those who find these things important, the band is also very up-front about their faith and only occasionally struggle with translation from their native Finnish to English.  All of these things are average to above average, or even very good, as in the guitar department.

The vocals are a completely different story.

Part of the problem, again, is the limited recording budget.  The vocals alternate between being too out front and almost buried in the mix.  For example, on ""Yule Night Brightness", a Christmas metal song, Mazi's vocals are so low on the verses that I honestly can't make out what he is saying without the lyrics sheet.  The chorus is fine, but the verses are just a mish-mash of mumbling in Finnish-accented English and very hard to make out.  Mazi also falls out of key on several occasions, which I am not 100% sure in unintentional.  When he is on, he has a pretty good, if somewhat limited range-wise, voice for this type of material, and pulls some of these songs off very well.  Some, however, are rendered almost unlistenable by the clash between Mazi's lead vocals and the also frequently off-key backing vocals.  To his credit, Mazi has been very respectful of the criticism he has received about the vocals, and he vows that they will be better on the next album (which is being recorded as I review this effort). 

Some of the songs are very strong in their structure, performance, and sound.  I think the up-tempo rocker "The Battle" is probably the best song on the disc and Mazi's vocals actually sound incredibly on-key and on-target here.  Perhaps the mid-to-lower register most of this song is performed in is where he is more at home.  "Burning In The 3rd Degree" is actually a cover song and is another good track with some solid lead guitar work and touches of 80's New Wave-ish keyboards, which is logical since the song is a lesser-known track from the Terminator soundtrack originally performed by Tahnee Cain & the Trianglz (tell me that isn't a New Wave name!).  There is a hidden track at the end of "3rd Degree" which is actually a Finnish-language version of "The Undoings Of My Life", which is, in both forms, a fairly decent mid-tempo number that gives Mazi and Coco some time to flash their guitar talent and again finds Mazi singing in a more comfortable middle range and not straining to hit higher notes he struggles with.


The packaging is pretty good for an indy product, with full lyrics, photos, credits, and thank you's.  Again, I hate digi-packs, but since there is nothing I can do about it, I will stop my commentary there.  One little added bonus for those of us who pre-ordered the album was this sticker which came with the disc.

Overall, I think the potential is there and the love for this sound and style of music is definitely present. Also, most importantly, the heart for the band as a ministry is strong, which cannot be understated. There are just some kinks to be worked out. Had this been a self-professed demo, I think it would have been more kindly accepted by most people, as we all know demos quite often sound nothing like the finished product. For this to be a first studio effort can be looked at as either a really bad offering with nowhere for the band to go, or as a starting point for the band to build. I choose to go with the latter.

Rating:  Turn this down to 4.5 but keep an eye and ear out, because I truly feel the next effort will be far superior. 

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SAINTS OF THE UNDERGROUND "Love The Sin, Hate The Sinner"

(c) 2008 Warrior Records

1. Dead Man Shoes
2. Tomorrow Never Comes
3. All In How You Wear It
4. Good Times
5. Exit
6. American Girl
7. Signes Of Life
8. Bruised
9. Moonlight Mile
10. Jimmy

Jani Lane--Vocals

Bobby Blotzer--Drums, Backing Vocals

Keri Kelli--Guitars, Backing Vocals

Robbie Crane--Bass, Backing Vocals

Additional Musicians:

Chuck Wright--Bass

Rick Flores--Keyboards

So-called "super groups" always have me a bit apprehensive.  Are they going to be anywhere near the quality of the members' other bands?  Is it going to turn into some sort of bloated, self-exploiting car wreck?  Will one of the members eventually kill another?  Or, will the "super group" label actually fit and the band will put out a solid product?  I mean, it has happened...HSAS and Contraband being a couple that spring to mind...it just doesn't happen often. 

Saints Of The Underground is made up of Jani Lane (ex-Warrant...duh), Keri Kelli (ex-Alice Cooper, Ratt, LA Guns, Skid Row, Slash's Snakepit...and on and on...), Robbie Crane (Ratt), and Bobby Blotzer (Ratt), with contributions from Chuck Wright (Quiet Riot), and Rick Flores (ex-Mystic Cross, Stride), so I think that the qualifications for the "super group" label are fairly met.  Originally conceived by Blotzer as an outlet for music that he had written while away from Ratt, S.O.T.U. really came into being as a full-fledged project sometime in 2006 when he recruited Kelli to help him put his musical ideas together.  Lane, and then Crane, were also brought on board, but outside of doing a few gigs as a cover band, not much really came of it at first.  However, after it became obvious that the chemistry was there, they decided to go ahead and record this album to see where it led.

Where it led was straight to my CD player as soon as I found out about it, and it has made frequent return trips in the past couple of years.  This is a very good album that, while having elements of all the members' other bands, really sounds nothing like the members' other bands.  Oh sure, Jani Lane is going to sound like Jani Lane, but there are no songs that make you say, "oh yeah...that's a Ratt (or Warrant, or Alice...) song."  These are S.O.T.U. songs, period...well, with the exception of the Tom Petty song...and the Rolling Stones cover...oh, and the album closer, which I will get to in a bit.

The album kicks off with one of the best tracks here, the short-but-sweet rocker, "Dead Man's Shoes" which is the closest the band ever comes to what I think could have possibly also been a Warrant song.  That is rather unexpected, since this is also a song that Blotzer had previously written and recorded on his own solo project, Twenty4Seven with John Corabi handling the vocals.  Regardless, it is a good song and one that pretty much lets the listener know what to expect from the rest of the album.

The solid rock material continues with "Tomorrow Never Comes", "Good Times" and "Exit", all mid-to-up-tempo rockers, with "Good Times" being a fairly modern-sounding track complete with guitar effects.  The album's single "All In How You Wear It", is another good rocker, but something about it just seems a bit off to me; perhaps it is the angry style of delivery that Jani uses here. 

The Petty cover is interesting, as this is easily one of his best known songs yet the band chooses to speed up and tweak just enough to update the song.  This is, of course, a risk as purists always get ticked off when bands alter beloved cover songs, but I think it works pretty well, especially the way Blotz tackles the drums and how Lane phrases the lyrics to fit the updated sound.  This is pretty high praise from an admitted non-Petty fan!

My personal favorites are both found on the last third of the album.  First is "Bruised" which features some frantic drumming from Blotzer and some pretty introspective lyrics from Lane.  The other fave would be "Jimmy", which a lot of Warrant fans will likely swear they have heard before.  That is because they have.  Warrant performed this song on-and-off for several years in the mid-to-late 1980's, but they never got around to recording it, so Jani took it upon himself to do so.  Stylistically, it easily could have come from Cherry Pie or possibly Dog Eat Dog, but it doesn't stick out like a sore thumb in this collection and the band does a good job of making it fit with the rest of the material.     

Am I saying this is a perfect record?  Not at all.  I am not particularly enamored of the Stones cover, to be honest, as I don't really like the inclusion of a acoustic guitar-and-keyboard song on an othewise rocking album.  It's not a terrible song, but if you aren't a Stones fan (which I am not), this is just a ho-hum ballad that the disc could do without.  "Signs Of Life" is decent, but not write-home-about-it material, and, as I already mentioned, there is just something a bit off about "All In How You Wear It".  Still, considering the potential for disaster that a "super group" brings to the studio, I think this is a commendable effort and one that I found myself enjoying a great deal.  I hope that the band manages to find time to regroup and record some more music of this caliber.  Perhaps with Ratt back on hiatus, Blotzer and Crane can find the time to hook up with Kelli and Lane and give us S.O.T.U. round two!

Rating:  Crank this at a solid 7.

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ADRENALIN KICK "Bad Reputation"

(c) 1991 TAB Music

1. Dehumanize
2. She's Got Me Runnin'
3. Get Up
4. Turn Me Off
5. Rough Stuff
6. Beware The Stranger
7. Million Miles
8. All I Want
9. Cold, Tired, And Hungry
10. Bad Reputation

Mick Pritchard--Vocals
Darren Richardson--Bass
Andre Kania--Guitar
Dave Cooke--Guitar
Mac--Drums

Adrenalin Kick (that is how they spelled it) was a rarely heard of band that released this hard rocker in 1991, then disbanded after releasing what is generally accepted to be an atrocious follow-up about 6 or 7 years later.  While there is nothing exceptionally special about this band, there is also nothing terrible about them or this album.  They remind me a bit of a lesser-talented Kik Tracee to some degree.  The lead vocalist, Mick Pritchard, is more than competent and is what I call a power-vocalist, using a lower tenor range for most of the tracks.  He is not a screamer by any means, nor does he ever get up into the high singing range that a lot of bands employed during this era.  The guitar tandem of Kania and Cooke is competent, if not overly flashy, and the rhythm section is generally pretty tight.  So why has no one heard of them?

Frankly, the songs themselves are nothing overly special and sound like songs you have heard from dozens of other lower-tier bands on several dozen albums.  There are flashes of talent, such as on "Cold, Tired, And Hungry", which has a nice hook to it, or on the rocking title track.  As far as other good material, "Dehumanize" rocks pretty hard but is not overly memorable.  "Beware The Stranger" might be the best track on the disc and has some nice guitar work on it, and I would have liked to hear more songs in this style.  "Get Up" is decent, if not spectacular, and "Rough Stuff" is an above average effort as well, but that is about it. 

"Turn Me On" is a rather lame ballad, and "Million Miles" is pure filler material.  "All I Want" has potential, again showing some nice guitar flashes, but the lyrics are pretty lame and cliche with no real vocal hook or catchy chorus to help the song along.         

Should you get this?  Well, first off, you are going to have a hard time finding it, as it is on a TINY label.  That makes it fairly collectible, so for that reason, I would snag it if you can find it for a good price (sub-$10).  It is not a terrible album and you are probably going to find a few tracks you like.  It is a decent "mix in" disc that breaks up the monotony of all of your favorites strung back-to-back, but that is about the best it will ever be for me.  Adrenalin Kick had potential but they never brought it fully into being, at least on an album.  I have heard they had a GREAT live show, however.

Rating:  Rock this at 5.5 or so, but snap it up if you find it cheap...it makes good trade material on the internet!  

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PAUL SHORTINO featuring Jeff Northrup "Back On Track"

(c) 1993 Bullet Proof Records/Music For Nations

1.  The Kid Is Back In Town
2. Body & Soul
3. Girl Like You
4. Pieces
5. Bye-Bye To Love
6. Everybody Can Fly
7. Give Me Love
8. Remember Me
9. Rough Life
10. Forgotten Child
11. Where There's Smoke

Paul Shortino--Vocals

Jeff Northrup--Guitars, Backing Vocals, Sitar

Additional Musicians:

James Kottak--Drums

Carmine Appice--Drums
Glenn Hicks--Drums, Backing Vocals
Sean McNabb--Bass, Bbacking Vocals
Jeff Pilson--Bass
Matt Missenette--Bass
Larry Hart--Bass
Richard Baker--Keys
Brant Harradine--Keys

Who knew that when he was fronting Rough Cutt, Paul Shortino made so many friends?  Calling in favors from members of Great White, King Kobra, Dokken, and several other bands, Shortino and his friend Jeff "JK" Northrupp put together this excellent record, which would turn out to be the first of several collaborations between the two.  While rather difficult to find, as it is on a very small label, this gem in the rough is well worth tracking down if you are a fan of any of Shortino's work, past or present.

For a lot of people, Shortino is something of a poor-man's David Coverdale, and while I can understand the comparisons, I actually prefer Shortino's voice.  I was never a huge fan of most of his stuff with Rough Cutt, to be honest, as the musical style just never grabbed me; it wasn't terrible, just kind of "there".  However when he is given more of a chance to showcase what I feel to be his true style, which is a smokier, blusier style, Shortino really shines.  Nowhere is this more evident than on tracks like the mid-tempo, inspriational rocker, "Everybody Can Fly", or equally powerful "Rough Life".  Both songs not only showcase Shortino's vocal prowess but they also give Northrup the chance to really cut loose on some excellent, extended solo work that rivals anything he had done with King Kobra on the King Kobra III album. 

There are several up-tempo numbers as well, with the best two being the album opener, "The Kid Is Back In Town", and the closer, "Where There's Smoke".  Again, these songs give Shortino a chance to stretch the vocal chords and for Northrup to show some flash and flair.  "Where There's Smoke" also incorporates several guest appearances which add a bit of flavor to the song.  "Give Me Love" is another excellent rocking number that has a bit of hook-and-groove to it, giving it a definite 80's sound despite the fact that this album was released almost half-way through the 90's.

The only real ballad on the disc is a strong one called "Forgotten Child".  Once again, Shortino's voice really works for this kind of number and the background vocals here really lend to the overall sound of this largely acoustic number.    "Pieces" teases you into thinking it is going to be a ballad with its into, but it turns into a full-fledged rocker with a monster of a solo embedded in the middle, so "Forgotten Child" is your only chance to take a breather during this rocking album.

For fans looking to hear Northrup really go off, check out the amazing instrumental, "Remember Me", which is roughly four minutes of nothing but emotional, soul-searing blues metal guitar at its best.  This track definitely deserves inclusion here and is a shoo-in to be included on any instrumental mix disc you might decide to burn for your own listening pleasure.  Killer, killer stuff here...

There are truly no weak songs here, and this disc really shows the musical kinship that Shortino and Northrup have when working with each other.  Thankfully, this is a partnership that sees multiple album releases as the more democratically named Shortino/Northrup.

Again, this is a very difficult album to find, but it is well worth the money if you do manage to score a copy.  I paid $20 for my import copy, only to find out the disc had been reissued in 2003 with bonus tracks on it (which I don't have).  Needless to say, I am working on finding that version now!

Rating:  An absolutely crank-able album!  8 is the minimum level for this disc!

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CRAZY LIXX "New Religion"

(c) 2010 Frontiers Records

1. Rock And A Hard Place
2. My Medicine
3. 21 Til I Die
4. Blame It On Love
5. Road To Babylon
6. Children Of The Cross
7. The Witching Hour
8. Lock Up Your Daughter
9. She's Mine
10. What Of Our Love
11. Desert Bloom
12. Voodoo Woman

Danny Rexon--Vocals

Andy Dawson--Guitars

Luke Rivano--Bass

Joey Cierra--Drums

Is there no end to the talent pool in what I like to call the Swedish Strip scene?  While many people, myself included, would consider Crashdiet to be at the top of the heap, there are any number of excellent bands that are vying for the number two spot...if not trying to dethrone Crashdiet as the top dog.  Hardcore Superstar is certainly one of the bands you have likely heard of, and Reckless Love is another.  However, Crazy Lixx may be the best band you have not heard of (unless, of course, you are into this scene) and they may be the band with the best chance of unseating Crashdiet.

This is actually the band's second full length album, to go along with an EP, but it is easily their best output so far and it just screams 1980's, albeit with a bit more modern production.  In fact, the production on this album is the one thing I hear people complain about the most, claiming that it is simply too slick, too polished, to really fit into the scene.  I disagree completely, pointing to "21 Til I Die" as a perfect example of the band at their rocking best, with "Lock Up Your Daughter" and "Road To Babylon" also being strong rockers.  "My Medicine (R.O.C.K.)" reminds me of a Firehouse boogie number at first before settling into a Def Leppard-esque song, a la "Let's Get Rocked".  "Voodoo Woman" also falls into this category, but not all songs are Leppard worship, however.  "She's Mine" and "Blame It On Love" will draw as much comparison to a harder-edged Nelson as to Leppard, as the songs perfectly blend the pop sensibilities of the Nelson Twins with the hard rock attitude and big, layered choruses both bands employ. 

People who may have already been fans of the band are likely to be curious about how the band's sound may have changed with Dawson taking over on guitars for Vic Zino who jumped ship to join Hardcore Superstar.  To me, Dawson is actually a step up on this type of sound.  Zino fits the sleazier sound of Superstar, at least to my ear, and Dawson is perfectly suited for this poppier, hair metal sound.  His leads are crisp, his solos, while not mind blowing, are sharp and melodic, and his rhythm playing is spot on, so the personnelle change should not deter anyone from picking this disc up.

Of course, since this release is on Frontiers Records, the production (provided by Chris Laney) is top notch, as is the packaging.  Of course, since it is on Frontiers Records, it is a bit tougher to come by at non-import prices, but sharp-eyed buyers may manage to snag this off eBay or while it is on sale through some on-line vendor for $15 or so.  Personally, I wouldn't hesitate to pay that kind of money for this effort, as New Religion is truly top notch and a definite step up, albeit a small one, over Loud Minority.  

Rating:  No question this is top-notch stuff that should be cranked to 8.5!

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