LA GUNS "Renegades"

 

(c) 2020 Golden Robot Records

1. Crawl
2. Why Ask Why
3. Well-Oiled Machine
4. Lost Boys
5. You Can't Walk Away
6. Witchcraft
7. All That You Are
8. Would 
9. Renegades
10. Don't Wanna Know

Kurt Frohlich--Lead Vocals, Rhythm Guitars

Scott Griffin--Lead Guitars

Kelly Nickels--Bass, Backing Vocals

Steve Riley--Drums, Percussion

Here we go again.  LA Guns is, once again, making me add in things like "Steve Riley's version" to the name of the band, as somehow we continue to have two completely different and distinct versions of the band competing with one another, yet apparently no one, not even band namesake Tracii Guns, actually owns the rights to the name.  So, lest anyone make the mistake of thinking the band has somehow reunited for the three-hundredth time, I want to make things completely clear: this LA Guns is the Steve Riley/Kelly Nickels version of the band, NOT the Phil Lewis/Tracii Guns version of the band.  If you are somehow still confused, trust me when I say you will not be confused once the music starts, as this version of the band is definitely not on the same level as the other.

That is not to say this LA Guns is bad, they just don't really sound like LA Guns.  A lot of that has to do with the fact that Kurt Frohlich sounds very little like Phil Lewis, and Scott Griffin, who is a very talented guitarist in his own right, doesn't sound all that much like Tracii Guns with his style and approach.  Additionally, the songwriting approach of this version of the band is less Hollywood sleaze and more straight-ahead, gritty hard rock.  Oh sure, there are some notable tunes here, but don't look for a "Sex Action", "Ballad of Jayne", "Rip And Tear" or "Malaria", as that classic sound is generally not to be found on this record.

The album kicks off with the lead single, "Crawl", which is definitely one of the best tracks on the record and starts things off on a good note.  While not a "classic" LA Guns sounding track, it isn't far off, at least as far as the bones of the song go, from the dirty rhythm guitars to the tight playing from both Riley and Nickels.  But there is something not quite sleazy enough, not punkish enough to be a full-blown LA Guns track.  And no, I'm not asking for a rehash of that 1987-91 classic sound from the first three records, but I am asking that the band sound at least akin to their namesake.  "Crawl" has some nice guitar work from Griffin (formely Ratt's bassist), and its no surprise that Nickels and Riley are absolutely rock solid here, but their are some distinct differences that hold this track back.  First, God bless him, but Frohlich just doesn't have Lewis's vocal prowess; there's no spit, no sneer, no snarl.  Granted, I'm willing to be Frohlich is a better SINGER, but he is not the VOCALIST that Lewis is, at least for the style of music LA Guns is associated with.  Secondly, where the heck is the down-n-dirty guitar solo?!  Nickels lays into an extended bass run that could be classified as a solo, I suppose, but where the heck is Griffin?  He never steps up and just blazes his way through the string-melter that you know Tracii would have slathered all over this song.  In fact, for me, that missing guitar solo is really what takes this song down a notch from being a potentially great tune to just a pretty good one.  Check it out and see if you don't agree.

"Why Ask Why" picks up the pace just a bit, and Griffin comes more prepared to play on this track, even ripping through a couple of nice lead runs, both after the second chorus and on the outro of the song, but again, the lack of Lewis is seriously felt here.  On the verse sections, Frohlich sounds more like a higher-registered Sully Erna from Godsmack than he does the frontman for LA Guns, and on the chorus, things are just way too smooth. Again, a pretty good song, just nothing that is going to stick with me for very long.

And so goes much of the record.  "Well Oiled Machine" really had me feeling pretty jazzed at the outset, only to have the weak chorus and predictable song structure leave me seriously wanting.  The rhythm riffs hint at classic LA Guns, but the rest of the song is a letdown after a promising start.  "Lost Boys" drops into mid-tempo territory on the verse sections then kicking things up a notch on the chorus sections, but those choruses are just so...weak? lame? tired? lyrically, and lack energy in the performance.  At one point, the song feels more like a lesser version of the classic MSG tune "Anytime" than it does something that should end up on an LA Guns record.  Griffin offers up one of his best solos here, no question, and again Nickels and Riley are every bit the rhythm section you would expect of two such-seasoned veterans, but the song is just not there.  

"You Can't Walk Away" slows things down to near ballad territory and is one of the better tracks on the record, but not for the reason you might expect.  It's not because mental images of "The Ballad of Jayne" are conjured up.  No, it's because this sounds for all the world to me like a song written by and for...Tesla.  Honestly, if Tesla were to record this song 30 years ago, I think it not only makes an album, but it might even get released as a single.  I really, really like this song and Jeff Keith would have NAILED this song's style and delivery.  In fact, if I close my eyes and really try, I can make myself hear this on Psychotic Supper as it has a kind of "Song And Emotion" feel to it.  An honestly great song to my ears, just not for this band.

"Witchcraft" is a nice, dirty rocker that probably comes the closest to capturing the spirit and sound of classic LA Guns, and Griffin is likely at his peak here as a lead player.  There's even an edge to Frohlich's vocals that really doesn't show up for most of the record that really adds to the song.  And while still overly simple, the chorus has a sleazy sass to it that nothing else on this record really has, which helps the overall feel of the track immensely.  So, two of the three best songs come back-to-back on the record here, but they are buried in the middle of an album that a lot of people will likely have given up by now.  And in both cases, you can't help but know in your gut that the Lewis/Guns version would have performed these songs better.

"All That You Are" is just not a good song, despite the best efforts of Nickels who delivers some excellent bass work here.  From all the "na na nas" and "hey! hey!s" to the overly extended "cry-e-i-e-i-e-in'" the lyrics are forgettable and their delivery...including the compressed, cliched "singing into a megaphone" delivery is so below LA Guns standards that the song makes me cringe.  Riley sounds bored, quite honestly, and Griffin is again relegated to more of a gun-for-hire role as the lead player than the de-facto guitar god that an LA Guns player should be.

Things don't really pick up with "Would", either.  In fact, as a largely acoustic ballad, it would be nearly impossible for "Would" to be a pick up, but you know what I'm getting at.  Once again, not a terrible song, but this is just so not an LA Guns song.  There's just nothing meaty to grab hold of here, which is a shame, because the performances aren't terrible.  In fact, I like the music of this track which I really think would fit nicely into an Alice In Chains acoustic record, where you would expect something moody like this to show up.  Overall,  if nothing else, songs like this one, like "All That You Are", like "Well Oiled Machine" really show how much the Riley/Nickels version of the band pales in comparison to the Lewis/Guns version in the songwriting category.  It's really not even close, honestly.

"Renegades" should be a daring, snarling song, but it absolutely is not.  In fact, despite the fact that it is the title track, this has to be one of the most bland songs on the album and is completely forgettable.  "Don't Wanna Know" brings the record to a close with a Guns N Roses kind of vibe...minus the big Slash solo...and is one of the songs that fits into the best half of the record, but it is far too late to do anything to salvage this album.

Overall, this isn't a terrible record, it's just not a really good record, and definitely NOT an LA Guns record for the most part.  It's a generally solid listen with a couple of really good tracks and a handful of decent tunes, but a few songs find the band going through the motions and a couple are just flat-out misses for me.  The production is good, overall, and the musicianship is above average, as well.  The feel is just not LA Guns, however, and that is going to turn a lot of people off and likely cause them to distance themselves from this version of the band in the future.  Would I go see the Riley/Nickels version of the band live?  Probably once, just to see how Frohlich handles Lewis' vocals in the live setting, but I wouldn't be going to hear these new tunes.  On the other hand, I would go see the Lewis/Guns version anytime, not just to hear the classics, but to hear the great new stuff they have released on their latest efforts, The Missing Peace and The Devil You Know.  And, I guess therein lies a big chunk of the difference.

Rating:  Rock this to a solid, if unspectacular 5.5 and wait to see how the other version of the band responds.

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HARMONIZE "Warrior In The Night"

 

(c) 2020 Independent Release

1. Warriors In Line (Intro)
2. Never Back Down
3. Warrior In The Night
4. Angel
5. The Astonishing End
6. Tonight
7. Crawling Among Shadows
8. Beyond Darkness (Outro)
9. Angel (Acoustic)

Sozos Michael--Lead Vocals

Giorgos Constantinou--Rhythm Guitars

Lambros Apousinas--Lead Guitars

Panagiotis Takkides--Bass

Harvys Peratikas--Drums

I want you to take a good, long look at that album cover.  Seriously...give it a hard stare.  Pretty dang cool, right?!  Definitely a metal cover with the silhouetted warrior, the fire, the swords, and the professional-looking logo.  All top notch!  Trust me, the back cover is, also, with a wolf silhouetted against a lightning strike in some ominous looking mountains.  Again, very cool!  And I want you to etch that into your memory, because once you actually listen to Warrior In The Night, I want you to have SOMETHING memorable to take away, because the music is definitely not!

Things start off okay...actually, fairly good...with a thunderous drum cadence that kicks into a big battle march-styled pattern, with some pretty good riffing going on underneath.  There are some cool guitar licks going on as the cadence intensifies and the power grows, with the vocals not joining until the last few seconds when the song's title is power-bellowed, "Warriors, In Line!"  Not bad, really, and I still have some hopes things may turn out okay.

"Never Back Down" sounds a bit like the galloping type of power metal that Iron Maiden used to put out back in the day, but with inferior vocals, far inferior production, and severely inferior drumming.  The rhythm guitars are pretty solid, however, and the guitar solo is decent, so things aren't unlistenable at this point, even if they aren't necessarily enjoyable.  It feels like I have heard this a hundred times from a hundred different bands that want to be the next Manowar or Hammerfall or the like, but as with all other imitators, Harmonize fails.  And they fail largely because they don't do anything original or exciting, even if they are competent in the execution of this track.  The production is not good, which doesn't help, as we have a very muddy mix and the guitar tones are flat and completely off.  And to throw a bit more on the fire, the lead vocals, while definitely not the worst I have heard, are pretty heavily accented and overdramatic, which just slaps another layer of cheesy schmaltz onto an already struggling song.  And the really sad thing?  This is the best song on the album!

The wheels fall completely off by the time the title track rolls around...at track three, no less.  Honestly, the tone and tempo of "Warrior In The Night" makes me think of some of the over-the-top drama that Spinal Tap produced on-stage in that classic film!  This is just...it's bad, folks.  Is Harmonize trying to create a new power-doom genre here?  Because if they are, I think they succeed to a degree, but the results are not good.  The lyrics are what I sometimes refer to as "pure Swiss", meaning all cheese and full of holes!  Pick a Dungeons and Dragons campaign, take every cliched lyric you have ever heard about that campaign, and set it to off-tune, poorly mixed power metal (played at a doom metal pace for half the six minute track), throw in some off-the-cuff death metal-esque vocals and you have a decent idea of what we are dealing with here.  The lead guitars aren't terrible...not overly original, but not terrible...and the bass line is competent, but the song is about three minutes too long and that overwrought intro just kills anything good that may have come of this track.

From this point on, things get even worse.  "Angel" may be the most painful song on the album, and we have to listen to it TWICE (once in acoustic form)!  Why?!  Again, brutally bad lyrics and some of the most cringe-inducing down-tempo drumming I have ever heard plague another poorly mixed track that goes absolutely nowhere.  The accent on the vocals is annoying, the random shouting of "Angel!" in the background is annoying, the hyper-repetitive guitar riff is annoying...and did I mention the drumming?  There is a nice uptick in the tempo at roughly the three minute mark which turns the song from a plodding nightmare into a galloping bad dream, so that's a step up, I suppose.  But...wow...putting this on the record twice is punishment for a crime I didn't commit!

Sadly, "The Astonishing End" isn't the end of the record (the forced re-listen to acoustic "Angel" brings things to a close), but it is nearing the end of my patience.  The rhythm guitars aren't bad and the drumming is...okay, I suppose...but nothing works here, and they don't work for nearly seven LOOOOONG minutes!  But even more sad is the fact that this isn't the longest torture session on the record!  No, that (dis)honor goes to "Crawling Among Shadows", which spends the first two minutes dragging the listener through a sludgy pit of doom, only to add insult to injury by dumping some subpar death growl vocals into the mix.  The lead guitars are the only, and I mean ONLY, saving grace on this track, and even those seem to lose their tempo a bit when the incredibly long instrumental break launches after the second (or was it third) run through the chorus.  Actually, this instrumental break isn't that bad and may be the true highlight of the album!  Heck, even the drum patterns come off as a bit interesting here.  But then those dang vocals come back...and then have the balls to tease you with a false ending at the seven minute mark!  THERE'S STILL TWO MORE MINUTES OF PAIN HERE!  Wow...just...wow....

I may have misstated things earlier when I said "Angel" was the worst track here, because the real worst track here is the SIX AND A HALF MINUTE LONG SPOKEN WORD outro!  And I don't care if this is performed by the London actress Nicolina Papas, who also co-wrote this metallic mish-mash (should I know who she is?), this is just bad, bad musical drama at it's D&D worst.  I'm going to be honest with you and admit that I kept skipping forward in this track to see if there was any reason to continue listening...and there wasn't.  Gack!  I will honestly NEVER listen to this track again, but then again, I will likely never listen to this album again, either.  In fact, I have already deleted the files from my computer.  Now, what do I do with the CD....???

I'm not even going to rehash "Angel"; I'm just not going to do it.  Just know its the same song but acoustic.

In all honesty and seriousness, this is not a good record.  Oh, the effort is there, no doubt, there are parts of songs that are pretty good, and there are some moments where things almost come together in a good way, but they are few and far between...and I did say almost come together, because it never really happens.  And I hate saying these things because I want every independent band to succeed.  Perhaps Harmonize will get there, they just miss the mark on this effort, and they do so in virtually every way.

My suggestion to the band would be to spend less on the artwork/insert budget (which is very well done) and focus more on the production and mixing of the album.  Let's be honest; we have all heard KILLER records from a simple slipcase, and while not ideal for those of us who are collectors, it is a far sight better than an amazing package with nothing to back it up.  Such is the case with Harmonize, sadly.

Rating:  Give this a 2 and TURN IT OFF.  However, you should pin the cover art up somewhere because...well, it is pretty metal!

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MARENNA/MEISTER "Out Of Reach"

 

(c) 2020 Lion's Pride Music

1. Out Of Touch
2. Price Of Love
3. Gimme All You've Got
4. I Don't Wanna Lose You
5. (There's So) Many Things
6. Sleeping With The Enemy
7. It Ain't So Easy (Loving You)
8. Ride, Ride, Ride
9. Dangerous Minds
10. Feel The Hunger
11. Follow Me Up (CD-only Bonus Track)

Rod Marenna--Vocals

Alex Meister--Guitars, Backing Vocals

Cris Cavioli--Bass, Backing Vocals

Tilly--Drums

Additional Musicians

Sidney Sohn--Keys (2, 4, 5, 7 and 8)

Adriano Fontenele--Backing Vocals (1, 2, 3 and 4)

C. Marshall--Backing Vocals (5 and 11)

It is no secret I am a huge fan of the band Marenna, as I think they are producing some of the best melodic hard rock that you have likely never heard over the past decade.  Since the Brazilian powerhouse vocalist jumped to Denmark's Lion's Pride Music, Marenna has released a tasty little tease of an EP with his self-titled band, and now this full-length follow-up with monster axe-slinger, Alex Meister!  If you are a fan of the melodic hard rock style of the 80s, but with cleaner, beefier production, then this new "super group", Marenna/Meister is going to be exactly what you are looking for!

The album kicks off with the hard rocking "Out Of Touch", which I thought was a typo at first since the album's title is Out Of Reach.  Turns out, this is simply one of those albums that doesn't have a title track.  Regardless, this is a top-notch intro to this album, and right away the change in guitarist styles is different.  The guitar players Marenna has used in his solo band have always been of high quality, especially on his debut, My Unconditional Faith, but with this album, things are ramped up quite a bit.  The melodic quality is definitely still there, but Meister has a shred quality to his playing that was not as obvious in previous efforts.  Marenna's powerful tenor is on full display from the start, and when the rhythm guitars kick in, it is obvious there is something special going on here.  A solid bottom end from the bass and drums helps support the catchy song structure, and a massive solo ripping through the core of the track is pure icing on the cake, with the flash and flair from Meister bringing an additional spark to the always strong songwriting that Marenna brings to the table.  A fantastic start to this record!  

Next up is the album's lead single, "The Price Of Love", and the melodic goodness continues in a big way!  Adding in a few keyboards, Marenna/Meister unleash an absolute must-hear track here, complete with big, layered vocals that intro the track and a driving guitar line that powers its way through the track.  To me, this is the kind of melodic hard rock that was delivered so perfectly by bands like Baton Rouge and Babylon AD back in the day, and Marenna/Meister nails the sound and style here!  Once again, Alex lays into an absolutely huge guitar solo here making the listener wonder why they have never had the chance to hear him bend strings before.  The guy can flat out get after it!  Excellent stuff, to be sure, but you can check out the lyric video below to get your own listen.

"Gimme All You Got" is another big, melodic rocker that is chock full of big hooks and a massive solo from Meister that really leaves me wondering why the guy isn't more well-known outside of South America.  Seriously, this guy has guitar god charisma dripping off of him, he has the look, he has the chops, he has speed, he has melody...so why doesn't anyone know who he is???  Anyway, this track is so typical of the greatness that Marenna exhibits with his solo band, and it is only bolstered with Meister on guitars.  Excellent melodic hard rock with Marenna's powerhouse vocals, some great layered vocals on the chorus sections, a strong bass presence throughout the track, and rock-steady drum work; what more could one ask for?

"I Don't Wanna Lose You" slows things down just a bit, teasing at a ballad with the intro before laying into a rifftastic mid-tempo rocker that absolutely nails the style!  The opening guitar riff is reminiscent of something from Def Leppard before giving way to a song that feels more like a Tyketto track or something similar.  Meister's solo here is among the best on the album as his finger do some serious flying up and down the frets and Marenna is dominant as usual.  This is definitely a top three track for me on this record.

The opening guitar riff on "(There's So) Many Things" screams 80s hard rock radio...heck, the whole song does for that matter.  The production on the drums is absolutely 1988, which is a GREAT thing, and the bass line locks in tight to support the solid rhythm guitars and yet another screaming solo from Meister.  I've noticed that a lot of Marenna's accent is gone from this record, which makes his vocals all that much better even if the accent was never really a major issue for me in the first place.  

"Sleeping With The Enemy" opens with a gritty guitar riff and a massive wail from Marenna and this dirty rocker is off and running!  Probably my favorite track on the record, "Sleeping With The Enemy" really has everything an 80s rock fan could possibly be looking for, from a catchy guitar hook, a fret-burning solo, a simple, sing-along chorus, big arena-styled drums, and some really good backing vocal work.  Were this 1989, this would likely be all over Headbanger's Ball.

"It Ain't So Easy (Loving You)" slows things down quite a bit, but I wouldn't really call this a power ballad so much as a slow-tempoed rocker.  Marenna drops into the lower portion of his range, with the backing vocals following suit, and Meister lays into a smooth, soulful solo that is dead-on perfect for the track.  This reminds me of something that Tyketto might have put out in their earliest days, with a lot of power backing the polish of the song, and I would again have to put this in the top three or four songs on the record.  Love this tune.

 "Dangerous Minds" has a funky bass riff and some excellent riffage going on and the song is a bit reminiscent of something Electric Boys were doing in their "Lips N Hips" days.  Definitely more melodic in the vocals department, but you get the picture.  And the album closes in fine fashion with another riff rocker in "Feel The Hunger", giving the listener one more chance to hear Marenna's vocal dominance and Meister's amazing guitar skills, including yet another scorching solo run.  An absolutely great closer to an equally great record.

The CD comes with a bonus track, but unfortunately it was not provided to me for this review.  This seems to be a licensing issue with some European labels, as rarely do I get bonus tracks in digital review packages.  Such is life, I suppose.  I am sure the track is of very high quality, as well, or Marenna would likely not have allowed its inclusion.

The production is very good, if not perfect.  The mix is definitely top notch, and the guitars are very clear sounding, as is Marenna's vocals.  There is a bit of an older sound to the production, which I found a bit odd considering how clean and melodic the material is, but after a couple of listens I honestly didn't even notice it any longer.  Again, the production isn't muddy or dead sounding (dry, flat drums, lacking bass, etc.), it just isn't as...shiny as I might have expected.  Honestly nothing lost in what is presented, however.

As much as I have loved Marenna's solo stuff, I have to say that I think I could find myself falling in line with Marenna/Meister even more, as the aggressive edge and enhanced guitar work really adds even more to what was already a favorite of mine.  I hope that this is not a one-and-done project because I feel like M&M could really be onto something special here, which is a sentiment I think nearly everyone who hears Out Of Reach will agree with.  Excellent stuff well worth seeking out!

Rating:  Crankable in a big way!  Crank this to 8.5!

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NEON ANGEL "Neon Light District"

 

(c) 2020 Sliptrick Records

1. Another Kind Of Love
2. Neon Angel
3. Love Addiction
4. Are You There
5. The City Is Sleeping
6. World On Fire
7. Night Tripper
8. Simon

Johanna Etelakari--Lead Vocals

Tuomas Saari--Guitars

Juho Savikurki--Synth

Tomas Kurki--Bass

Johannes Lati--Drums

Neon Angel is a new band for me that found its way to my inbox from Finland.  Sporting strong female lead vocals, Neon Angel has a definite affinity for 80s metal, incorporating strong guitar leads and a powerful bass presence along with synthesizers and pretty much typical 80s-styled drumming.  However, rather than simply rehash the 80s hard rock sound, Neon Angel uses their synth presence to produce a sound that is a hybrid of 80s metal and New Wave with a little goth rock flavor (especially on "Are You There"), giving them a sound that is not really like anyone else I can think of off the top of my head.

Stylistically, there is no real way to nail down the sound of Neon Angel, exactly, as no two songs here really sound all that much alike and, as I stated above, there is a definite cross-contamination of styles at play.  On Neon Light District's opening track, "Another Kind Of Love", big arena styled drums kick off what feels like a big 80s metal anthem complete with some early 80s Deep Purple-styled keyboard to really provide a full, driving rock sound.  Catchy and teasingly familiar, "Another Kind Of Love" is a really good opening track for the band, although I do with the guitar solo had more emphasis in the song.  What the song does do very well, however, is showcase the vocals of Johanna Etelakari (just Johanna from here on out).  Johanna's vocals are definitely upper-register, with just enough of a sassy snarl to carry that tough 80s rocker chick vibe, and the backing vocals are layered nicely as well, giving Johanna a full sound through the chorus sections.  

The band's namesake track, Neon Angel, is up next and intros with what sounds for all the world to me to be a harpsichord to start things off, before giving way to a really smooth, soulful lead-in solo from Saari, which is one of the few times he is truly given the green light to really show off his skill.  Then, suddenly, the song kicks into high gear on a poppy, New Wave inspired rocker that is very synth heavy with Johanna taking on more of a Debbie Harry-styled approach to her vocals.  Think of Harry singing "Rapture" for an idea of how Johanna handles the vocal lines here, even though the song itself has more in common with a harder rocking Psychedelic Furs than with Blondie. The funny thing is, I actually kind of like the song and applaud the band for bringing all of their influences to the table here.

A dirty guitar riff and a rollicking piano kick things off on "Love Addiction" which again finds Johanna in that Debbie Harry region vocally.  In fact, if pressed, I would have to say this is the style she tends toward throughout the record and I have to give her credit, as she handles the style and range very well.  Musically, this track isn't that far removed from something Lita Ford might have done in the 80s, although there are still more synths incorporated in the track than your typical stadium rockers utilized back in the day.  But that's okay.  Neon Angel is definitely not a clone of anyone and there is something to be said for that.  The chorus is pretty catchy here, and the guitar work, while not flashy, is definitely solid and drives the song forward.  To my ear, this is the musical style the band works best with, and Johanna can seemingly handle pretty much any style the band wants to work in, so I would say "Love Addiction" is one of the best two or three tracks here.

"Are You There" slows things down a bit, but doesn't tone down the intensity or diversity of the music at all.  Starting off with a bass riff and some straight-forward time-keeping percussion, Johanna whispers "are you there?", an 80s-inspired keyboard tone plinks in a few notes, and the song hits its stride.  This is a darker-vibed song than most here and Johanna's voice takes on something of a haunting tone throughout the course of this nearly six minute track.  To me, this type of song screams 80s movie soundtrack, something like Lost Boys or the like, which incorporated hard rockers and more New Wave alt rock tracks.  "Are You There" is definitely in the latter category, and I found myself continually waiting for the guitar that is buzzing just below the surface to really rip itself free of the song, but it never does.  Again, this is an intense, dark song, but it is lacking that something to really put it over the top for me, and I'm guaranteeing that "something" is just a ferocious guitar riff and searing solo to drive this track home.

"The City Is Sleeping" returns to a more straight-forward hard rock style with dirty rhythm guitar riff, thick bass work...and some cowbell!!!...on a gritty number that once again is something akin to what you might have heard Lita Ford tackling in 1988.  This is would probably my favorite track on the record as it the track that finds the band shedding the majority of the synth and New Wave stylings in favor of straight up arena rock (albeit with some seriously kickass bass work from Kurki).  I say "would be my favorite", as well as "shedding the majority of the synth and New Wave stylings because I'll be darned if a key-tar solo doesn't pop up after the second chorus, which really knocked me upside the head and does a lot of damage to an otherwise really good song.  At this point, I'm really wondering if Saari is just not comfortable with (or capable of) solo work.  He is definitely a competent rhythm player, but nowhere does he just lay into an old school solo that would go so far in stepping a couple of these songs forward a big step.

"World On Fire" and "Night Tripper" are both decent enough rockers, with "World On Fire" kicking off with some big, arena-styled drum work and an early 80s hard rock approach that laces synths into the spaces the guitars don't cover, and also features some decent guitar work on the record.  Once again, Johanna is in that Debbie Harry range vocally, and the band sounds incredibly comfortable here.  "Night Tripper" is the hardest-hitting track on the album, with a far more uptempo take on the Neon Angel sound and style than anything else here.  The rhythm guitars are really strong here and the keys/synths are relegated to a supporting role in this track that combines a NWOBHM sound with something closer to Loverboy.  I know, I know...sounds crazy, but that is really where my head goes.  If the keys were there, I'd come close to comparing Neon Angel to Girlschool here, but then those keys hit and my mind goes off on a "Working For The Weekend" tangent for some reason.  Saari does hit his only real guitar solo of the record here, and it's actually pretty good, and I'd have to say this is probably the best track on the record overall.  

The album closes with the longest song here, the nearly six minute ballad, "Simon".  Johanna is really strong here, showcasing her range well, but the track is simply too overwrought for my tastes.  The piano does some nice work on the first half of the song, and the oddly utilized guitars add an eerie vibe to the track, but when coupled with the old-school production, this song just comes at me from a weird direction and doesn't do much for me, to be honest.  On a positive note, the bass work here is once again excellent, and there are some unique orchestrations going on but this is pretty much just a filler track to me.

The production here is definitely old school in its sound, and it really feels like this is an album that might be best listened to on vinyl, or perhaps even cassette, as there is none of the digital sterility that a lot of bands use today to make their music sound brighter and more polished.  That isn't to say Neon Light District sounds like it was recorded in a basement or garage, because that is not the case.  But, just as the band has a definite love and feel for the 80s style, so to do they utilize more 80s-styled production methods on this record, giving the entire project a truly indie band, throwback feel.  Some will relish in the sound and style and some will be turned off by it, no doubt.  It is what it is.

Overall, there is a good deal of talent here, especially in Johanna's vocals and the strong synth work from Savikurki.  That last part is odd for me to write, as I normally find myself complaining about too many keys or too much synth, but with Neon Angel, the synth is such an integral part of the sound a lesser musician would likely have really muddied the feel the band was seeking here.  The rhythm guitars are solid, and while generally unspectacular there are a couple of decent guitar leads, and the bass is really strong throughout the record.  As I mentioned before, the drums are pretty much the 80s New Wave/harder radio rock standard style here, which means they fit well but aren't something that are going to jump out at you.  Giving this project an even more 80s feel is the fact that there are only eight songs here, as was often the case in the A-side, B-side days of vinyl.  All but one of the songs tops 4 minutes in length, with two nearly hitting 6 minutes, so you aren't being cheated out of a bunch of music here, it's just stretched out across longer songs.

If this type of hybrid rock sounds like it might interest you, I think Neon Angel is worth giving a shot.  

Rating:  Not bad at all, and definitely Rock-worthy, although Neon Angel will definitely not be everyone's cup of tea.  Rock this at 6!

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FIREFLIGHT "Who We Are: The Head and the Heart"

 

(c) 2020 RockFest Records

1. Ready For More
2. Bang Bang
3. Who We Are
4. How To Fly
5. Keep Your Head Up
6. Welcome To The Show
7. Bury The Dead
8. Arrow
9. I Believe You
10. Don't Let Me Go

Dawn Michele--Lead Vocals

Wendy Drennen--Bass, Backing Vocals

Glenn Drennen--Guitars

Justin Cox--Guitars

Adam McMillion--Drums, Percussion

It has been since 2015 that Fireflight released new music, and that last effort, Innova, was a big disappointment to a lot of long-time fans, myself included.  A mish-mash of mostly electronic music with only withering amounts of the modern melodic hard rock that the band had come to be known for, Innova seeemed to be a whimper of an end to a solid career for the band that released their first album, Glam-Rok nearly two decades ago.  But, with a shot at a rebirth of sorts on the booming Rockfest Records label, and co-writing and production credits from hot commodity Josiah Prince of Disciple, Fireflight has come roaring back with Who We Are: The Head and the Heart, due out later this month.

Reuniting the original line-up (minus drummer Phee Shorb), Fireflight comes out firing on all cylinders immediately, setting the tone for their most complete, hardest-hitting record in their seven album (and a couple of EPs) career.  Granted, most of their previous releases featured numerous Christian rock radio hits such as "For Those Who Wait", "You Decide", "Desperate", and many others, but never has one of the band's albums been able to sustain my attention from start to finish.  In fact, as great as many of the singles were, I honestly never really connected with an album in its entirety prior to Who We Are.  Even as someone who owns the band's catalog, and who really likes Glam-Rok and 2012's Now, I always felt Fireflight's records would make GREAT EPs, but carried too much filler and, quite frankly, lost me on the majority of their ballads which come off as simply too sugary.  I am happy to state that these issues are simply not the case with Who We Are!

The album kicks off with a build up of electronics and programmed sounds, and I was honestly concerned we were in for Innova II.  But after about 40 seconds of looped effects, Dawn Michele's vocals kick in, the guitars join the mix, and the drums of McMillion kick in and it is obvious that, at least for the moment, the Fireflight of rock-oriented albums For Those Who Wait and Now has returned.  Dawn's vocals, instantly recognizable as they are, carry a punch and a power they lacked on the last record, dropping the breathy tone she employed on much of Innova and returning to her big, sweeping ROCK voice that drove tracks like "Stay Close" and "Stronger Than You Think".  The bass is thick and present here, and the guitars of Cox and Drennen are lively and driving, using the electronic background as a canvas upon which to paint their rhythms and solos.  A mid-tempo rocker, "Ready For More" definitely had me in the mindset the song's title implies, as I was psyched for what was to come next.

"Bang Bang" ups the energy and tempo as Dawn bursts from the speakers after just a single drum strike, and the buzzsaw guitars are off and running.  Once again, yes, there are some programmed electronic elements employed here, but they are role players here rather than the dominating instrument of the track.  The vocals take on an urgent tone throughout the track, and once again the lively bass line from Wendy Drennen throbs incessantly throughout this track.  Again, the guitar tandem of Glenn Drennen and Justin Cox carves its way through the track with a driving heaviness the likes of which Fireflight has only occasionally hinted at in the past.  This is an excellent rocker that I would imagine will be released as a single in the near future.  

Speaking of singles, the title track and lead single, "Who We Are" is up next and is exactly the type of song long-time Fireflight fans have been dreaming their band would grace them with again at some point.  A soft electronic build is present, with an acoustic guitar drifting across the soundscape, only to be interrupted by some sharp drums and a churning rhythm guitar that revs the track into full gear.  Dawn's vocals are in peak form here (and throughout the record, honestly), and the hard-hitting rock track instantly recalls the best singles of the band's past.  Shouted backing vocals, a sing-along chorus, punchy rhythms, and gritty guitar tones...all the ingredients of what made Fireflight one of, if not THE, dominant female-fronted Christian rock bands in the entire scene...are all present in a big way here and are demanding the band be heard!  Don't let their Christian label deter you from giving "Who We Are" a shot, radio programmers, as this is some excellent modern melodic hard rock that should be in your playlist now!  Check out the video below:

"How To Fly" picks right up where the crushing blow of "Who We Are" ends, punching you in the earhole with a thick guitar riff and cellar-dwelling bass (along with some fat...FAT...bottom end synth lines) to drive home a crunchy, mid-tempo riff-rocker.  There's an airy interlude after the second chorus that throws a bit of a curveball into the otherwise straight fastball mix here, but it serves to remind that Fireflight is not a one-trick pony and allows their more melodic side to show through a bit more.  The full-on rock returns after a few moments, however, and "How To Fly" rocks hard through to the finish.

Things take a bit of a downturn, tempo-wise, with "Keep Your Head Up", a track which starts off with a piano and strings intro that builds throughout the first verse, giving way to the full punch of the band on the pre-chorus and chorus sections, only to return again for the second verse.  There is a nice, crunchy section following the second chorus with a vocal bridge that really lets Dawn explore her full vocal range, then the piano returns for a few bars and the final run through the chorus rips through, complete with an outro guitar solo that is packed with soul and emotion.  Not a true ballad, but definitely a more down-tempo track...albeit one packed with a lot of musical power..."Keep Your Head Up" is head-and-shoulders above most of the slower-tempoed tracks of Fireflight's past, at least for me.

My personal favorite tracks hit back-to-back next with "Welcome To The Show" and "Bury The Dead", two great rockers that again showcase the power that Fireflight is capable of delivering while remaining true to who they are.  "Welcome To The Show" incorporates some quirky vocal tricks from Dawn in the way she intones certain words and phrases in the verse sections, utilizing a wicked-yet-playful lilt that entices the listener and pulls their ear forward in ring-master fashion!  There's a frantic, somewhat spoken-word vocal bridge after the second chorus run followed by a chugging stop-start-stop-start guitar section packed with chainsaw snarl and punch, and then a last run through the chorus that also drops some unique electronic elements into the mix.  I hope that this song gets airplay at some point, as  it is both totally unique and totally Fireflight at the same time.  "Bury The Dead", on the other hand, is a straight ahead rock anthem that will likely become an instant must-perform track at any future Fireflight shows.  A big, sing-along chorus really showcases the power that Dawn is able to pour into a song in which she asks herself if she "can move on if I bury the dead", leaving her broken past behind and surrendering to the Truth.  A big, big rocker with driving guitar lines, excellent drum work, and some killer layered backing vocals, "Bury The Dead" is definitely my favorite track for me on Who We Are, and unquestionably top five in Fireflight's catalog; I love this track that much.

"Arrow" is the album's only real ballad moment, and even then I'm not 100% sure I'd use that tag on the track as this isn't "slow dance" material, or anything like that.  Melding the poppier side of Fireflight with Dawn Michele's sweeping vocals, "Arrow" is definitely a sparse song, largely devoid of any crunch or grind from the guitars and with minimal percussion, but one that delivers in a big way for fans that just want to hear Dawn cut loose and carry a song on her back.

Acoustic guitars intro "I Believe You" and carry the track throughout the first verse and chorus break, joined by a string section and the drums about halfway through verse two.  There's a big build coming out of the second verse, with the whole band jumping in and a huge, melodic guitar solo sweeping in over the orchestral arrangement that supports the song at this point.  I really like how this song brings things together at the end, finishing in a place that you might not have guessed it would build to when you hear the first half of the track.  A really good musical piece.

The album closes with a slow-building-to-mid-tempo rock number that has some really nice punch but also maintains a smooth flow, again echoing some of the things Fireflight has done in the past, but doing it better than I remember in most places.  Dawn's vocals are a definite focal point here, especially as she becomes starkly raw, standing free of the band for a brief moment coming out of the final chorus run, allowing emotion to become the driving force behind her words.  While not the rocker one might have been expecting the band to close with, it is still a song of significant power and strength and is one of the defining moments of an album that, to me, is filled with RE-defining moments for the band.  

While not a member of the band, a shout out has to be given to Josiah Prince of Disciple, who is really making a name for himself in the writing and production world.  He brings a cohesiveness to the project that is not always present on previous Fireflight albums, as the songs all work to move from one to the next without sounding like the same song over and over.  The mix is exquisite and the instruments are all exposed to the listener in a way that makes them easy to hear while not dominating the song.  I really like the extra bit of edge that is added to the guitar tones of several tracks here, and having both guitars back in the band again really adds a power that was definitely lacking from Innova.  Lastly, I feel like Prince really drew the best vocal performance from Dawn Michele that I have ever heard on record.  She always had power and presence, but on Who We Are, she adds emotion without relying on breathiness, she adds coyness without becoming cutesie.  To be frank, at times her vocals took on a saccharine sheen on previous records, especially on ballads, that turned me off to a degree.  Not so on this record, not by a stretch. On Who We Are she crushes the album from start to finish in peak form!     

If I have any complaints about Who We Are: The Head and the Heart, they really aren't about the music or the band.  But, I do have two complaints, so I am going to air them here.  First...why wasn't the 2018 single, "Die Free", which featured Kevin Young from Disciple on guest vocals, included here, perhaps as a bonus track for pre-orders?  It would have been yet another incentive to help boost pre-sales and would have given us "physical over digital" fans a chance to own the track in a non-CD-R burned format.  My second complaint ties indirectly into my first.  Who We Are is actually being marketed as two stand-alone EPs, with pre-orders being the only way to get them both on one CD.  Now, I totally get the gimmick here, especially since Rockfest boss Joseph Rojas did the exact same thing on the most recent release from his band, Seventh Day Slumber; it is a gimmick to drive pre-sales.  And, again, I get it.  But, and this is just my opinion...which is really why you read this blog if you think about it...the pre-sale packages with the t-shirt, signed poster, sticker, and all that stuff, is likely incentive enough for most people that are going to pre-order anyway.  There's no need to make people pay for two separate EPs that, to be honest, would both be relatively short (both would clock in at roughly 22 minutes each).  Like I said, if you want to make a full-length version that had "Die Free" on it as a pre-order bonus, that's awesome; I'm all for that.  Doing it the two EP route just comes off as a money grab to me.  And maybe it is; I am not privy to Rockfest's financial statements, so maybe this is the cost of doing physical release business now in a digital world.  Regardless, I'm set because I DID pre-order the package because I wanted to help support the band and label and, in all honesty, because I wanted the single CD instead of having to buy two EPs.  (See...I frequently buy the albums I review here, even if I get advance promo copies.  I'm a stand-up guy!)

Regardless of my two little gripes, this is a big-time comeback from Fireflight that shows this band has a lot left in the tank.  The writing is the strongest from start to finish the band has ever put together, the performances are tight and punchy and full of energy, and Prince's production makes what would still likely have been a really good project a great one.  It is not a coincidence that I say this is, hands down, the best Fireflight has ever sounded on record and Who We Are: The Head and the Heart is, likewise, the best record that band has ever put out...also hands down.  If you hurry, you may still be able to preorder a copy HERE.

Rating:  A very crankable return for Fireflight, Who We Are is a definite 8.5!  This is excellent stuff!

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GOLD, FRANKINCENSE & MYRRH "Operation Take Over"

 

(c) 2020 Independent Release

1. Bones
2. Selfish
3. I Don't Wanna Lose My Friends
4. S M I L E
5. Taking Over
6. I Don't Need Your Fantasy

Maggie English--Clean & Harsh Vocals, Bass

CJ English--Clean Vocals, Guitars

Lulu English--Drums, Backing Vocals

The favorite sister act of modern hard music, Gold, Frankincense & Myrrh (commonly referred to as GFM or GFM Band) return with their third EP in the past two years.  Appropriately titled Operation Take Over, the English sisters continue on their self-appointed mission to do just that, take over, as they unleash six new "Beautycore" songs on their rapid...and rapidly expanding...fan base.  Blending both clean and harsh vocals, huge drums, pulsating bass lines, and aggressive guitars, the sisters continue to carve out a space for themselves in the hard music industry and command more and more attention for themselves not as a novelty sister act, but as a legitimate musical force.

The EP kicks off with "Bones", an aggressive metalcore track that churns and snarls its way out of the gates and never relents!  Maggie's harsh vocals continue to grow in depth and power as she masters control of her voice seemingly with every release.  Complementing the eldest English sister's angry spit-and-snarl vocals are the (by comparison) angelically sweet vocals of CJ, accompanies by backing vocals from Lulu, as they sing their way through the chorus.  To me, the distinctly different vocal styles really set GFM apart from a lot of other bands of the genre.  Sure, most metalcore acts have clean and harsh vocalists, but in no other band do you have that harmonic quality that seems to come from siblings (check out the girls' acoustic EP for even further evidence of this vocal talent).  The guitar riffs from CJ are plenty meaty here, and Lulu continues to be seriously impressive with her work on the kit, growing in leaps and bounds in her ability to create unique and aggressive fills and patterns, not settling on being just the tempo-keeper of the band.  Harsh and aggressive, with a solid breakdown prior to the last runs through the chorus, "Bones" should make an impact at metal radio, both Christian and secular, before this EP runs its course, and it is an excellent table-setter for the rest of the EP.

"Selfish" backs off on the aggression...slightly...as Maggie backs off on her harsh growling for most of the song (she does drop it in in a few places, however), utilizing her slightly lower singing range in the verse portions before her sisters join in on the chorus parts.  CJ's guitars are especially edgy here on this somewhat post-hardcore/modern metal track, maintaining a fuzzy aggression and sharp, snappy rhythms that really push the song.  Maggie's bass has a full, loud voice throughout the track, and Lulu continues to wail away in impressive fashion.  I'm not going to lie, however; I keep waiting for CJ to rip into a fret-running flourish of a solo of pretty much any length, just to add a new depth to the band's sound.  It doesn't have to be some neo-classical, Yngwie Malmsteen fret melter, or an experimental Steve Vai proggy run, but just....something.  I personally think something short and sweet would help the band make that next little jump musically.  But who am I...???

"I Don't Wanna Lost My Friends" is my least favorite track here, but it isn't a bad song.  It just isn't as catchy to my ear and comes off a bit more 90s pop-punk than the rest of the EP.  Gone are Maggie's aggressive vocals, traded in for a poppy sing along chorus, complete with gang-shouted backing vocals, and even some "whoa-oh whoa-oh's" dropped into the mix for good measure.  Again, a special shout out is warranted for Lulu, who really shows an ability to handle multiple types of song structures and percussion patterns, and even if it isn't my favorite track on the EP, the band is really tight here on this bouncy sub-three minute track.

The real treat of the record is up next with "S M I L E".  To my mind, there is no track in the girls' ever-expanding catalog that will generate the excitement in the live setting in the way that this latest single will.  Lulu's snappy drums set the cadence for CJ's saccharine-sweet vocals in a cheerleader chant to

call out "S...M...I.L.E...why won't you smile for me?!" the song kicks off with a crazy fun start before Maggie drops a harsh "GO!" and the guitars swarm to life with thick, chunky riffs and deep, chest-pulsing thuds from the bass as the song melts down into a swirling musical moshpit, even as CJ keeps up her super-cute chant.  As fans know, the girls trademark style frequently utilizes a metal-tinged cheerleader style, and "S M I L E" is the perfect song to accompany that image.  Maggie utilizes both clean singing and harsh snarling on the verse sections, with CJ tackling the majority of the chorus sections.  After the second run through the chorus there's a vocal breakdown with CJ returning to her sugar-coated cheerleader role, this time calling out to ask if everyone is "read-ee" to sing along, only to be chased off by yet another guttural snarl from her older sister.  Again, there is a perfect opportunity for CJ to rip on a quick little solo, but the band instead lays into a crunchy breakdown section, and GFM appears to have come up with their signature song at a relatively early stage in their career, as I don't foresee them being able to sneak out of a live show without dropping this uber-catchy cheerfest into the set!

 

All cuteness evaporates as "Taking Over" is unleashed next.  Maggie is in full-on "shred my vocals" mode as she barks "One, two, three, four...get up and give me more!", and a big, bottom-heavy breakdown section crushes its way through the middle of the track, with Maggie hammering away on her bass and CJ chug-chug-chugging her rhythm lines in hyper aggressive fashion.  Having already climbed to the peak of multiple hard music and metal charts, "Taking Over" shows as much about the heavy half of the GFM sound as "S M I L E" and closing track, "I Don't Need Your Fantasy" showcase the fun side.  "Taking Over" is who GFM is for a good chunk of their catalog, showcasing aggressive musicality and a vocal duality that goes to great lengths to define who the band is.

On that previously mentioned closer, "I Don't Need Your Fantasy", the girls perfectly meld the fun, catchy sing-along style of "S M I L E"...even again bordering on cheering/chanting...but teamed up with Maggie using a higher-pitched, screaming-rather-than-barking style.  The rhythm riffs from CJ are relentless throughout the track, and Lulu's drumming is tight, furious, and machine-gun rapid throughout.  Truly an excellent way to close out a really strong, if too-short release from this very talented young band.

The band brought in some high-powered help on the production here, as Joey Sturgis (Of Mice and Men, Asking Alexandria, The Devil Wears Prada) was called on, along with Billy Decker (Uncle Kracker, Sam Hunt) and Eric Varnell, to fully capture the sound and style that is Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh.  Thick bottom end work from the bass and drums really shine through on this record, and the guitars keep their aggressive tone without becoming muddied in the mix, and it is nearly impossible to say too much about how the vocals of the three girls are handled and combined on Operation Take Over.

As is typically the case with EPs, one of my main complaints here is the brevity of the project, with these six songs clocking in at not even 19 minutes.  I was a bit surprised the band didn't include the parody track, "Susan", which they released as a stand-alone single earlier this summer, but it wouldn't have really fit the sound and style of the rest of the EP.  And, with no opportunity to tour during this Covid-induced live music moratorium, the band likely had no new live tracks to tag onto the end, so these six new songs are what we were offered.  Fortunately, all six are of high enough quality that many fans won't feel short-changed paying $15 for the physical CD, which they can also request to be signed if they order directly from the band at:  www.theGMFBand.com

Rating:  Definitely a crankable EP, rip the dial up to 7.5, with only the really small time run and the minor miss of "I Don't Wanna Lose My Friends" keeping Operation Take Over out of 8 to 8.5 territory.  A very strong effort from three impressive young ladies!

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RELENT "Heart Attack"

 

(c) 2020 Rockfest Records

1. Six Feet Under Me
2. Changed
3. Rise
4. Without You
5. Send A Miracle
6. Addicted
7. Surrendered
8. Low
9. Jesus Freak

Miggy--Vocals

Josh--Guitars

Chris--Guitars

Bruce--Bass

Gaston--Drums

Ah, Nu-Metal.  If there has ever been a more maligned sub-genre of heavy metal, I don't know what it was, and, to a degree, I get it.  Once Korn broke big, bands started to try to take elements of that band's sound and formula and recreate the magic.  The problem was that in doing so, Nu-Metal copied itself so much in the late 90s/early 2000s that it imploded in exactly the same manner that hair metal did in the early 90s.  There was just so little originality left in the genre, and as a result very few bands from that once thriving scene managed to survive.

But, as it says in 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NKJV), "all things have become new" and Nu-Metal has started to re-emerge in the modern hard rock scene, albeit with some much-needed upgrades to production and a more intense focus on quality songwriting (thankfully!).  One of the bands I am expecting big things from in this updated scene is San Antonio's own Relent.  Wait...did I just suggest a new Christian band could make an impact on the current musical scene?  I did, indeed, and there is zero doubt that Relent fits the bill for the style of band that the modern hard music scene is hungry for, and the reissued edition of their debut EP, Heart Attack, is exactly the vehicle to introduce this extremely talented band!  

Recently signed to Rockfest Records, Relent has just dropped the revamped version of Heart Attack, complete with new artwork and two new songs, stretching the EP from seven tracks to a nearly full album of nine songs.  

The album kicks off with a flurry of crunch and grind from the rhythm guitars in that stop-start chugging fashion so many of the 90s heavy rock bands used, accompanied by a bit more bass than a lot of people may be expecting.  The drums are hard-hitting as well, and from the get go it is evident Relent is out to do something most bands are not doing today with their style and sound.  Miggy's vocals are going to draw a huge amount of attention throughout the record, as there is a definite style similarity to that of Lajon Witherspoon from Sevendust, most of which is derived from the soulful delivery utilized, as well as the ability to both add and subtract a gritty edge when the song calls for it.  From the first note he sang, it was obvious to me that Miggy was going to be a big draw for me with Relent.  

Anyone who says they don't hear bits of Korn in the next track, "Changed", has likely never actually heard 90s-era Korn.  The spoke rap section that intros the song just reeks of something that Jonathan Davis would work into a song, and Miggy absolutely nails the delivery here!  The bass is thick and rumbling beneath the entire track, and the quirky rhythm guitar line here is top shelf stuff!  There are some swirling lead guitars thrown into the discordant mix here and a sick breakdown, just for good measure!  A song about true change from within, "Changed" is blistering nu-metal track that has a little bit of everything good about that style, along with some more modern elements...especially in the production...to update the sound in great fashion.  Definitely one of my favorites here.

While "Low" is the current single (more on that in a bit), I think "Rise" has to be strongly considered for the next track to impact radio.  Once again, while the music is perfectly filled with chugging riffs and thundering drums, it is Miggy that steals the show with his vocal prowess.  Bordering on rap-styled vocals on the second verse, Miggy also delivers that Sevendust-inspired, edge-laden crooning style that just demands to be listened to!  Another excellent track to start the record that will likely have most listeners completely hooked by now.

Miggy is likely at his most aggressive on the next track, "Without You", as his aggro-vocals take on an almost bestial snarl in places, especially when ripping through the words "why?!" and "try" on the pre-chorus sections.   A song asking Christ "where would I be without You?", this is a perfect example of the band not watering down their faith in the lyrics and also remaining just as uncompromising in the aggression of the track's music and performance.

Introduced by Miggy singing the song's title in acapella fashion, "Send A Miracle" features the most punishing breakdown of the record, with Miggy imploring the band to hit the listeners with a "Faith Bomb" multiple times, and this track is pure Sevendust...and God...worship, which I dig in a big way!  Truly excellent stuff on this track that I find myself hitting repeat on numerous times when it comes up.

"Addicted" is another track that I believe has single written all over it.  Featuring some computer-enhanced synth vocals along with a rap section and yet another brutal breakdown, "Addicted" should be all over both Christian and secular modern rock stations the second it is released.

"Surrendered" finds Miggy singing that "on my knees I find my place, at Your feet I give You praise" as he tells a personal tale of surrendering to his Creator, with the most metallic rhythm riffing of the record accompanying him.  Pure intensity fuels the verse sections of this punishing track, while a more melodic approach is used in the choruses, with Miggy again adopting a Witherspoon approach to his soaring, power-filled approach to singing.  Some electronic elements fill in what musical gaps may exist in this dense song, and I would anticipate metal stations may snap this song up even if it is never dropped as a single.    

The last two tracks here are the new additions to Heart Attack.  "Low" is the current single and it has been blasting its way across multiple playlists and charts, Christian and secular alike, garnering airplay on terrestrial radio stations, as well as Octane on the satellite, and TheBlast.FM and ChristianHardRock.Net on the Web!  Tackling depression and addiction, "Low" has enjoyed a huge amount of success at Christian radio, and has also crossed over to Octane on SiriusXM.  Heck, it has even been re-released in Spanish form.  With a big bottom end, both clean and aggro vocals, and some serious crunch to the guitars, "Low" is a great indicator of what to expect from Relent and the rest of the Heart Attack release.

The album rounds out with an interesting song choice, as the band tackles one of the more popular Christian hard rock tracks of the past couple of decades in DC Talk's "Jesus Freak".  Let's be honest; deciding to take on a track with that much popularity takes a level of confidence a lot of bands don't possess...and rightfully so!  Relent, however, not only takes the track on headfirst, they aren't afraid to experiment a bit and make the track their own.  For starters, the Relent version is noticeably heavier and down-tuned, bringing out an angrier, darker tone.  The bass is aggressive here, and the guitars have a bottom-end crunch that wasn't present in the 90's hard-edged alt rock style that DC Talk utilized.  Another thing that will immediately catch people is the slight change in the delivery of the lyrics in the chorus.  So catchy and so sing-along is the song that people are invariably going to jump in and join the band, but when Miggy stretches the word "they" a bit, everyone that is singing along will already be onto the word "hear" already.  I know I was!   There are a couple of other minor differences here and there, but not to the point the song is unrecognizable and fans of the DC Talk version will likely enjoy this take, as well, though there is no doubt that Relent's version is definitely the heavier, more aggressive version by a good stretch.   

As much as I hate it when people say, "such and such band is the Christian version of so-and-so", it is going to be very obvious that Relent is heavily influenced by my favorite Nu-Metal band, Sevendust, and elements of P.O.D., Pillar, and even a little bit of Korn filter through the mix.  Never, however, do you feel like you are listening to a knock-off band, however, as Relent is a band all their own, with an approach that will have fans instantly fist-pounding and head-banging along!  To drop a likely over-used pun, Relent is absolutely relentless in their approach, both musically and lyrically, leaving no doubt as to what they are about.  

Rating:  Oh so crankable...and so difficult to pry out of my player!  Crank that dial to 9!

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DISCIPLE "Love Letter Kill Shot Deluxe Edition"

 

(c) 2020 Tooth & Nail Records

1. Cuff The Criminal
2. Reanimate
3. Wake Up
4. Panic Room (Featuring Andrew Schwab of Project 86)
5. Play To Win
6. Fire Away
7. Misery
8. Chemical Wisdom
9. Never Too Late
10. Touch of Pain
11. Walk With Me
12. Best Thing Ever
13. Darkness Dies (New)
14. Enemy (New)
15. Kingdom Come (New)

Kevin Young--Lead Vocals

Josiah Prince--Guitar, Bass, Backing Vocals

Andrew Stanton--Guitars

Joey West--Drums, Backing Vocals

Additional Musicians

Dane Allen--Backing Vocals

Andrew Schwab--Guest Vocals on "Panic Room"

Okay, allow me to rant for just a second.  I LOVE when bands release new music.  Love it.  It is something that I look forward to with great anticipation, whether it is new bands that I am excited to hear from for the first time, or long-established favorites that I get to hear something new from.  It just gets me jacked up thinking about it!  BUT...I hate, and I mean HATE, when bands re-issue an album that isn't even two years old with new material on it (Skillet, I'm looking at you!).  I'm then left with three choices, none of which makes me very happy.  One, I can re-purchase the entire album, and then have to figure out what to do with the original.  Two, I can digitally purchase the new songs and then rip the original CD and burn it again with the new songs included.  Three, I can just live without the music.  Well, option three ain't happening, folks, which really leaves only options one and two, and neither is ideal.  And with Disciple, you only have option two because the three new tracks are only available as digital downloads (which could send me off on an entirely different rant, but I'll let that go for another day).  Why not just hold off until you have two or three more songs, maybe a remix and a live track also, and then drop a physical EP?  I get that with the lack of touring going on bands need to come up with ways to generate an income, and I am more than happy to help out in that arena, but I am still a physical-product guy and I hate being backed into the digital-only corner.  Anyway...rant over...for now....

Disciple has re-released their latest album, Love Letter Kill Shot with three new tracks, much to the excitement of a fairly rabid fanbase.  I have attended a lot of shows from a lot of bands, and I haven't come across many bands that have the devotion that Disciple fans have, which is an awesome thing since Disciple is also a band that gives a lot back to their fans.  It's a truly symbiotic relationship.  As such, I am certain the band is currently selling thousands of downloads of the three new tracks, and probably hundreds of downloads of the new album in its entirety.  Me, I just went with the three new tracks, which I then burned onto a CD with the entire album to make my own "deluxe CD-R" of the album.  According to Joey West on a live Instagram video earlier this summer, there are currently no plans to put out a physical re-issue of the album, although that could change at some point OR, as I mentioned in my rant above, I could see the songs being released at a later point on an EP, similar to what the band did with the Vultures EP a few years ago.  

For the purpose of this particular review, I will only be covering the new songs.  If you want to go back and read my thoughts on the full Love Letter Kill Shot album, just click on the album title and you can check that out. (Hint...I love this record!)  

The first of the three new tracks is, in my opinion, by far the best, and one of my favorite Disciple songs in years...which is saying a lot.  I absolutely love "Darkness Dies"!  Love...it...!  The album kicks off with some electronic elements, but then a big, aggressive drum fill from Joey fires the song into motion, and once the rhythm guitars kick in, things are off and running.  Again, there are some subtle electronic elements running beneath the first verse, which Kevin delivers with a slightly breathy approach, before the pre-chorus hits telling the listener to "put your money where your mouth is, put your faith in what you're doubting, if there's no telling where the Truth is, they why (do) you keep looking?!"  From here, the soaring chorus bursts forth, with Kevin singing, "I'm not a savior, I'm just a man, and I'll let you down if you give me a chance...", imploring people to seek the Light rather than look to man for answers to their struggles in life.  Following the second chorus run there is a breakdown of sorts, and while there is no true guitar solo, the six string work here is top notch and aggressive!  I repeat this song two or three times every time it comes up, no exaggeration.

"Enemies" is up next, and it is, in my opinion, everything "Darkness Dies" is not.  "Enemies" starts off with an angry-sounding Kevin screaming "I only have nightmares when my eyes are open!"  Then a staccato guitar chug-chug-chugs to life, crunching alongside the pounding drums through the verse sections, before a slightly more melodic chorus.  Kevin's angry tone is incorporated throughout the second verse, and those hard-hitting rhythm guitar riffs just reek of anger and aggression in a way that Disciple hasn't really delivered in some time.  Yes, "Panic Room" hits hard on this record, and there are some aggressive tunes on each of the past several albums, but "Enemies" takes that aggression to a new level.  Stop-start electronic effects are added into the mix, and then seemingly out of nowhere a soaring, melodic guitar solo sings out (I'm guessing from Stanton, as it sounds like his style of playing), which leads the track into the final run through the chorus, with Kevin singing "Deliver me from myself", before the final musical flurry closes things out.

"Kingdom Come" closes out the new tracks, and for people who ordered the Love Letter Lockdown internet concert during Covid quarantine this summer have already heard a live version of this track.  To me, "Kingdom Come" is a track that falls in the middle ground between "Darkness Dies" and "Enemies" as far as style of these three new tracks goes.  Still edgy and aggressive, but carrying a melodic tone that "Enemies" really only hints at.  This is a really well-written track, with tempo changes, aggressive rhythm playing, rapid-fire drumming, and a solid bottom end from Prince's bass work, and Kevin reins in his vocals just a bit from the aggressive screaming of "Enemies" but still delivers with plenty of passion.  Not quite as catchy as "Darkness Dies", and not as angry or metallic as "Enemies", 'Kingdome Come" is a bit of both and works very well to close out this deluxe album edition.

Look, I'm not a digital fan, but at only 99 cents a track on Amazon...and available on every streaming and downloading platform that I am aware of...all three are worth downloading and ripping to create your own deluxe version, and the purchase will help out one of the best, most passionate, most fan-friendly bands going in the Christian scene.  Hopefully a track like "Darkness Dies" will get the band some crossover attention with the Octane crowd, and maybe "Enemies" will even find its way onto the Liquid Metal playlist on SiriusXM.  Request these songs (and "Kingdom Come") from your favorite local radio stations and on Christian internet stations to get some love for Disciple to start spreading.  It has worked recently to get some national attention for bands like Seventh Day Slumber, so perhaps Disciple will be next to explode out of the Christian-only market!

Rating:  As an entire package, Love Letter Kill Shot Deluxe edges up slightly to a 9 now!  I truly hope it will be available in true physical form at some point.

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RED JUMPSUIT APPARATUS "Emergency EP"

 

 (c) 2020 A+R Productions/CMG

1. Brace Yourself
2. A Long Time Ago In A Galaxy Called LA
3. Don't Buy Into It
4. Is This The Real World?
5. Stuck On Repeat
6. Please, Unfriend Me

Ronnie Winter--Lead Vocals, Acoustic Guitar

Josh Burke--Lead Guitar

Randy Winter--Rhythm Guitar, Backing Vocals

Joey Westwood--Bass

Danny Resnick--Keys, Backing Vocals

John Espy--Drums

I will be the first to admit I have always kind of avoided Red Jumpsuit Apparatus purely based on the name.  I mean...what the what?!  And I know that's terrible of me, because an attitude like that has probably prevented me from hearing dozens of bands that I really would have loved.  As I have gotten older, I have been ignoring that inner-urge to discard a band based solely upon its name, and I gave the new RJA release, The Emergency EP a shot.  What I got was both surprising...not surprising...and in one instance downright shocking.

What surprised me was just how great this band is musically.  Honestly, I would never have predicted the intensity of the drums, the talent of the twin guitar players, or the near-perfectly executed placement of the keys in a position of support rather than out front (which we all annoys the metalhead in me!).  The guitar solos here are melodic, if not overly elaborate, and the interplay between Burke and Randy Winter is excellent, with some really strong rhythm guitar work driving several of the songs here, with "Stuck On Repeat" coming instantly to mind.  The backing vocals are also spot-on throughout this EP, which really help to support Ronnie's lead vocal approach.  And the songwriting for most of the record is equally strong, leading me to wonder why I hadn't checked out this band before...other than the name...or really heard much from them on radio, satellite or terrestrial.

This brings me to what didn't shock me...at all...which is the relatively emo-style of vocal delivery that I got from Ronnie Winter on about 2/3 of the record.  There are moments on the EP where he allows an angry edge to creep into his vocals ("Don't Buy Into It" has some of these moments, to be sure), and it is at those times that I find myself really cheering for more of the same.  Alas, it typically doesn't last very long, although "Stuck On Repeat" (easily my favorite track here) has less emo drone to the vocal approach, and "Brace Yourself" manages to work around a few weak spots to also be a top-of-the-heap track for me.    

Lyrically, the band doesn't make any bold pronouncements of faith on the EP, but they spend a lot of time on social issues, and steer themselves into some controversial territory with "Don't Buy Into It", a song that could find the band alienating some of their more conservative fans.  In the very first verse, the band addresses the transgender issue as Winter sings about meeting a boy dressed as a girl whom people (presumably Christians) have told will burn in hell for his/her gender decisions.  The song also references the building of the wall between the United States and Mexico, to which Winter encourages "I say build it up so we can tear it down!" on multiple occasions, and he sings in the chorus, "Fear leads to anger to hate," seeming to indicate that anyone who stands opposite Winter's (and presumably the band's) views on illegal immigration are "fearful" and "hateful".  The press release for the album states, "As a Christian, Winter's prism of the religion is far more inclusive than what the gatekeepers preach," with Winter himself being quoted as saying, "These are things that really bother me--with this EP I'm bringing fans to the next level."  The "things" he is speaking of are LGBTQIA+ issues and the Black Lives Matter movement.  While there is growing support in many Christian communities for the LGBTQIA+ issues, hitching one's wagon to BLM is a dangerous move, in my estimation, as I don't know of very many groups...and NO Christian groups...who advocate the wanton vandalism, property destruction, assault, and even murder that have become hallmarks of that group, and for Red Jumpsuit Apparatus's lead vocalist to state his backing of the movement is going to be a BIG "off switch" for many people.  

The band proves elsewhere that they can focus on positivity without becoming controversial.  On the  track, "Is This The Real World?" the band does a far better job of interjecting thought into social issues as they as they encourage people to seek truth rather than simply believing what they read and hear on-line and from the media.  Album opener, "Brace Yourself" has become something of an anthem for First Responders and Emergency Support Workers, with a portion of the sales from the single actually going to benefit families of these extremely important people.  Check out that track below:

For me, five of the six songs here are of above average quality, and all are up-tempo, which helps drive the EP home in relatively quick fashion.  The musicianship, as I mentioned before, is of a surprisingly high level, and I have to admit to being very surprised when I read that all of the songs except closer, "Please, Unfriend Me" were actually written and recorded in the back of the band's tour bus while on the road last year.  As to "Please, Unfriend Me", that track was recorded using technology while the band members were in Covid lockdown earlier this spring.  The best tracks are bunched at the end, with "Stuck On Repeat" and "Is This The Real World" being the biggest winners of the bunch, with "Brace Yourself" the top choice of my 8 year old, who seems to sing it non-stop.  I also enjoy "Please, Unfriend Me" quite a bit, as well.  "Don't Buy Into It" isn't a horrible song musically...not by a long stretch...but I just can't get behind the "think my way" political agenda that Winter seems to be aiming at band fans that don't see things through the same lens he uses.  As to "A Long Time Ago in a Galaxy Called LA", while it isn't a terrible song, I just don't feel it...at all.  Seemingly a love story (perhaps Ronnie Winter and his wife's story?), the song is just too cheesy for me and I honestly skip it just about every time I have a free finger while driving down the road.  

All in all, I was impressed with the band's talent and the catchiness of the majority of the songs here.  I do wish we had a bit more solo work from Burke whose guitar has a definite melodic quality to it that I really enjoyed, and I would love to hear more bite and edge from Winter's lead vocals, especially when the emo whine seems to come on to strongly, but overall I'm pretty happy with my introduction to the band.  I may even seek out the band's previous efforts, some of which I have been told has more hardcore and punk influences, and I will definitely keep an eye and ear out for future releases.  That being said, if the band becomes more even political and starts to swerve further into social justice warrior territory, I highly doubt they will find a fan in me, as there is plenty of that to be found in both mainstream and social media, so I don't need it in my musical choices.  

Rating:  Rock this at 6.5.  Musically, I'd give it a 7.5, but the EP's brevity, the band's politics, and the emo stylings of much of Winter's vocals do some damage to my introduction to what is obviously a musically talented band.

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RAVINER "Drown" (Single)

 

(c) 2020 Independent

Kamber Kigin--Vocals, Keys

Jon Wisecarver--Guitars

Colt Capperune--Bass, Programming, Additional Guitars, Production

Rob Shollenberger--Drums

With the pandemic putting the brakes on a lot of music-related activities this summer, a number of new and lesser-known acts have started to bubble up on different platforms as radio stations and internet platforms have been bolstering their playlists to accommodate listener's thirst for more music.  Because of this, I have come across several new bands, as well.  One such band for me is Raviner.

Raviner is a new band to my ears, but this Tennessee group has actually been putting out music since 2016, with their last long-form release being the Beast EP in 2017.  Following a brief hiatus, the band reformed to begin work on a new EP which will include the lead single, "Drown".  Featuring powerful female vocals, nice edgy, crunchy guitars, rock-steady drums, and just enough modern programming effects, "Drown" is an excellent introduction to this new band.  And while the smooth rocker should find a lot of success on modern rock formats, Christian or secular, there is also a uniqueness to Raviner's sound that should help them to stand out from the crowd.  That uniqueness comes largely from the soaring vocals of Kigin.  As I have lamented numerous times, there is a distinct lack of true female singers in the Christian rock genre (although there is an ever-growing number of highly talented female screamers and snarlers!), but that short list gains a new member with Kigin, who I feel compares very favorably with Dawn Michele from Fireflight and with Deena Jakoub of Veridia.  In fact, those two bands are also good comparisons for people seeking a sound comparison, especially the later, more synth-oriented material from Fireflight.  

On "Drown", a powerful song about dealing with individual struggle and turbulent times without allowing oneself to go under and succumb to the darkness of the time, Kigin maintains a powerful grip on her range, staying comfortably in the middle of her range but with plenty of inflection and nuance.  The guitars from Wisecarver carry a nice level of aggression to counter Kigin's melodic vocal offering, and Shollenberger's drums have a big, full sound, not coming off as flat like so many drums do today.  Shollenberger's patterns and fills are strong, especially on the breakdown section coming out of the second chorus, where the drums and bass combine to generate a lot of power and thump which runs counter to the atmospheric programming that runs throughout the track.  Also of note is the production, which I find to be really strong, especially when the independent nature of this record is taken into consideration.  Capperune gives plenty of room for each instrument to breathe here, and offers up some solid bass work, as well.  

Check out the track below...

If you are into this type of dark, electronic-edged modern rock with an uplifting message of hope, I strongly suggest you seek this band out, as there is a lot of talent and potential here!  I am anxious to check out the new EP, which was apparently stalled by the Covid situation.  "Drown" can be found on your favorite platform here:  http://smarturl.it/rvnr.drown/ and you can also snag their previous EP, Beast, at this location: http://smarturl.it/rvnr.beast

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