BABYLON AD "Live Lightning"

 

(c) 2023 Perris Records

1. Saturday Night
2. Hammer Swings Down
3. One Million Miles
4. Bang Go The Bells
5. Sinking In The Sand
6. Desperate
7. Maryanne
8. She Likes To Give It
9. Bad Blood
10. Crash And Burn
11. Shot Of Love
12. Love Blind
13. Sally Danced
14. Kid Goes Wild

Derek Davis--Lead Vocals, Guitars

Ron Freschi--Guitar, Backing Vocals

John Matthews--Guitar, Backing Vocals

Robb Reid--Bass, Backing Vocals

Jamey Pacheco--Drums, Percussion

In 1989, Babylon AD release, in my estimation, one of the best debut albums of the decade, period.  Yeah, yeah, Guns N Roses this and Poison that.  For my money, Babylon AD's debut was better than either of those, and if it was possible to wear out a CD due to continued playing, my copy of that self-titled album would likely have melted down.  1992's Nothing Sacred got nearly as much playtime from me, although it never really hit me the way the debut did.  I even stuck around through the next decade, waiting for something new, which finally came with 2000's American Blitzkrieg, which while darker and angrier sounding, was still a pretty solid record.  The band went dormant for more than a decade, although a collection of pre-Babylon AD demos was released in 2006, which was pretty cool, if unspectacular.  But in 2014, seemingly out of nowhere, the band rumbled to life with a 4 track EP, and then in 2017 the band returned with a bang, surprising fans with a new album, Revelation Highway, which actually turned out to be everything a fan could want, and MORE, as that was an excellent return to form that is probably my second favorite from the band, even though it came out 28 years after the debut!  So, when I heard that the band was going to release a new live album, I was definitely on board!

To be fair, this is not the first live album the band has released; it is actually the third.  Additionally, it isn't really all that new, as I have read that the new disc is culled from a couple of shows from 2015.  I'm honestly a bit confused, however, as this new live record contains four songs from Revelation Highway, so I'm not sure if they had been playing a few of these songs live since they reformed, or if this live material was actually recorded at a different time than I had understood.  It makes little difference, I guess, as this setlist is quite a bit different than the one for Live At XXV, which was released in 2015, and I wanted to hear the new songs in the live setting. 

I have to admit I was a little surprised the new release opened with a track that likely very few people in the knew, but Babylon AD does just that by starting off with "Saturday Night".  That's a pretty gutsy move, in my opinion...I mean, a nostalgia band opening with new material?  Wow!  Regardless, after a brief intro from the club emcee, the band comes out swinging, and they pull this track off to perfection, making it sound like they have been playing it for years, and the crowd sounded like it reacted well to the hard-driving rocker.  

Long-time favorite "Hammer Swings Down" hits next, and it hits hard, as you would likely expect.  This has always been one of my three favorite songs off that debut album, and the crowd is definitely appreciative.  The guitars sound great and the rhythm section is firing on all cylinders, driving this rocker at full force.  Granted, Davis has lost a bit of the top end of his range, but the snarl of his voice is still there, and he still sounds powerful and in full command of the songs presented here.  The guitar solo is altered a bit from the studio recording, but that's fine with me, as it is simply more evidence that this is a band that is actually playing live here.  I'll take those slight imperfections anyday!

Another new track is up next, and the partially acoustic "One Million Miles" comes off  sounding very strong here.  I kind of wonder if the tracklisting isn't altered here, however, as slipping this track in between "Hammer..." and the next track, the bombastic "Bang Go The Bells," doesn't make a ton of sense.  There are audible gaps between all of the songs here, so there is no attempt to present this as one long, flowing show.  And I'm completely okay with that.  I just wonder at the placement of a couple of tracks (I'll give you another example in a minute).  Regardless, the band sounds great on this new tune, the crowd is sounding highly appreciative, and then things get NUTS with "Bang Go The Bells"!  This is a song that really should have skyrocketed the band to a level they were never able to reach, and it is a staple of their live sets no matter where you see them play.  Davis obviously still really enjoys delivering this rocker in the live setting, and the band shows up in full force here.  This is probably the best of the three officially recorded and released live versions, in my opinion.

American Blitzkrieg gets represented with "Sinking In The Sand" next, and I was really happy to see this song on the setlist as it is definitely one of the best tracks on that studio album, and the band sounds like they were having fun playing it.  There seems to be some issues with Davis's microphone, or perhaps its in the mix, but his vocals while talking to the crowd about being recorded live are very low and rather hard to hear.  He sounds perfectly fine when it comes time to sing, so my guess is this is a mixing issue and does nothing to detract from the performance.

The debut album is back in the forefront with "Desperate," the quasi-power ballad that should have been all over MTV in 1989 and 90, and once again the crowd shows its pleasure at what the band is delivering here.  The guitars are excellent, and Davis absolutely owns the track on this live performance.  This is how a live song should sound, in my mind - faithful to the original that people love, but still showcasing a band that is feeding off the energy of a thankful crowd that loves what they are being treated to.  I typically hit repeat a few times when I cue this track up.

Rocker "Maryanne" from the debut follows, with another new track, the mid-tempo, slow-burner "She Likes To Give It," which is actually a pre-debut track (it appears on the demo compilation before making its way onto Revelation Highway).  The alternating of new and old tracks indicates a couple of things to me.  First, it's obvious the band knows what its fans want to hear, hence all the tracks from the debut album making this setlist (7 in total).  Second, the guys are obviously proud of, and confident in, the new music, which slides into the setlist almost seamlessly throughout this package.  I do wonder how much re-arranging was done to the track order, as the songs were taken from two different shows and, as I previously mentioned, there are gaps between the tracks as you work your way through the disc.  None of this really matters in the end; it's more just curiosity on my part.

"Bad Blood" grooves its way into the set next, and one of the two singles from the Nothing Sacred album smokes in this live version, with plenty of sass to the vocals and a load of raw rock n roll attitude to the music.  The guitar work sounds really strong here, especially on the solo section, and the drums hit hard throughout the track.  This is one of the tracks that has shown up on all three live releases from the band, and one that always sounds great.  The band is so tight, and Davis always manages to inject a lot of life into this track, which is why it is always such a crowd pleaser.

"Crash And Burn" is yet another Revelation Highway track in this setlist, and it slots in very well next to the other harder-edged material in this live set.  "Shot Of Love" from the debut makes its way into the mix next, and I have always loved the mid-tempo punch of this track.  Once again, the lead guitar work here is stellar, with plenty of emotion packed into the run from Freschi, and Davis can be heard pumping up the crowd in the background.  The backing vocals are handled really well here, which is not always the case in a live recording, and overall, this is just another example of what this package does really well.

I was kind of surprised "Love Blind" made this setlist, as this is one of the three new tracks that showed up on the Lost Sessions EP, but it is such a great song that it fits perfectly!  (I went back later and checked, and it actually also shows up on XXV Live, which I had obviously forgotten about.)  I really wonder if the band has more of these songs from the unfinished pre-American Blitzkrieg album laying around, because this is some really good stuff.

The album wraps with two more from the debut album, with the bluesy rocker "Sally Danced" up first.  This song is executed almost to perfection, with the different guitar styles and tempo changes handled expertly.  This has long been one of my favorite album cuts from that debut and I am glad it's offered up here.  Unsurprisingly, the aggressive, metallic rock of "The Kid Goes Wild" closes things out, much to the pleasure of the raucous crowd!  Davis deftly handles the spoken section that was originally done by the legendary comedian Sam Kinison, but it's his aggressive vocal attack throughout the rest of the track that really adds the exclamation point to this blisteringly heavy guitar rock classic.  There really is no other way to close out a live performance by Babylon AD that would be acceptable -  the band knows it, the fans know it, the crowd eats it up - and everyone, whether in attendance at the shows or listening to the album, can walk away happy following this performance.

There are a couple of curious song omissions here; I'm curious why "Psychedelic Sex Reaction" wasn't included from Nothing Sacred, and I would probably have put "Magic Mary" or "One Way Ride" from American Blitzkrieg in the mix also.  (To be fair, I possibly only pick those AB songs because they are two of my faves from that record...)  

The mix is raw, to be sure, but not in a "recorded-on-a-boombox" way; these are soundboard recordings from full club concerts.  I just mean it is obvious there isn't a ton of polishing done in the studio on these albums, and nothing stands out as glaringly obvious that it was re-recorded or touched up after the fact.  What you hear on this disc is likely what you heard if you were in attendance.  Again, I understand the gaps between the tracks as far as rearranging the song order goes, and it does allow for individual songs to be taken off the disc and dropped into a mix or played on the radio (yeah, right!) without having to do any mixing or fading.

All in all, this is a very enjoyable live recording of one of the bands that I always thought should have been one of the biggest bands of the genre in the 1989-1991 timeframe.  The debut is an absolute must-own for even passing fans of the genre, and this is the best of the three live releases the band has out there, especially with the mix of old and new songs...and no cover tracks.  

Do not miss your chance to sang this one, folks!  Jump over to Perris Records and grab one before they are gone!        

Rating:  An absolutely crankable live set from the Babylon AD boys!  Crank it loud, folks...I crank it at 8!

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KICK THE WICKED "

 

(c) 2022 Gemini Rising Records

1. Spit It Out
2. Mr. Know It All
3. Blinded By The Lie
4. Free Me
5. The Journey

Mark Lanoue--Lead Vocals, Guitars

Scott Campbell--Rhythm Guitar, Bass Guitar, Keys

Rory Faciane--Drums

Do you know what a drag magnet is?  If not, a drag magnet is a device...specifically, a magnet...that you attach to a long rope or cable, and then drag along the bottom of a lake, river, or even the sea, retrieving whatever sticks.  My family was given the chance to do some "drag magnet fishing" in the summer of 2022 down in the swamps outside New Orleans.  It was a blast, as we never knew what we would find, and the results always tended to be interesting!

In this case, Drag Magnet is the debut EP from Kick The Wicked is the side project of Fiction Syxx lead vocalist, Mark Lanoue, and drummer Rory Faciane, that was started during the pandemic summer as a covers project.  Originally designed as an outlet for the guys to play music from artists that have influenced them through the years, Kick The Wicked eventually developed into a creative project with new songs that took on a style and sound of their own, separating themselves from what Lanoue and Faciane do with Fiction Syxx.  And trust me when I say there is a drag magnet's collection of styles and sounds to be found in just these five songs!

For those who may somehow have missed them, Fiction Syxx is a phenomenally talented melodic, progressive metal band that truly deserves far more recognition from the metal world than they have seemingly received.  Having been a fan of that band since their first album, I was extremely excited when Lanoue, whom I have known on-line for quite some time, told me about this new project.

Let me start by saying that Kick The Wicked is NOT a retread of Fiction Syxx.  The song structures...heck, the song styles in general, are not the sweeping, epic progressive metal work that Fiction Syxx has perfected.  All five tracks here are shorter and more straight-forward, in your face rock/metal than what you get with Fiction Syxx.  And that's a good thing; there's no need for two bands doing the same thing with some of the same members. 

The EP kicks off with the chunky, aggressive "Spit It Out", a metallic, rhythm guitar-driven rocker that immediately draws a line of definition between Lanoue's and Faciane's two bands.  Don't look for any big, sweeping guitar flourishes or massive keyboard runs here, as that is not the style here.  Still, the vocals of Lanoue, particularly on the chorus section where they are expertly layered, do add a melodic element to this opening track, which also features a scorching lead solo from Lanoue that truly needs to be heard to be believed.  The man flat out rips here!    The interplay between Lanoue's leads and Campbell's rhythm playing is superb, and Drag Magnet is off and running!

"Mr. Know It All" starts with a fat bass line rumbling over some intense work from Faciane, settling into a heavy, grinding modern rock groove, with Campbell's rhythm guitars just chewing through the verse sections, guiding Lanoue's lower-registered sneering vocals, which elevate in tone a bit on the chorus sections, which find Lanoue doing more singing than snarling.  There's a swirling lead guitar section in both the solo section and the outro portion of the song, and I really, really like the interplay of vocal styles, which remind me of some of the things I liked best about the heavy alternative/grunge era, but with more modern rock production on the guitars.

"Blinded By The Lie" is up next, and that hard 90s alternative feel is definitely a big part of the song's personality on the intro, as it sounds like a darker, edgier...and somehow still more melodic...version of the groove that 90s rockers, Local H, achieved with "Bound For The Floor".  The similarities stop there, however, as Lanoue's vocals are given a chance to soar on this track that drags a bit of the darker New Wave sound of the 80s into the track, while also still pushing a strong rhythm guitar line and some really top-notch kit work from Faciane.  As odd as that mixture may sound when I write it out, trust me, it works perfectly here, and "Blinded..." would be my favorite track on this project were it not for the album's closer (more in just a minute).

So, what's left for these guys to toy around with?  Oh, you want some funk, you say?  Well, "Free Me" is definitely what you have been looking for, as the band continues with that 90s hard alternative sound, but mix in a funky bass line and drum pattern, along with an unmistakably 70s synth line, and some cool guitar riffing that gives this track a vibe unlike anything else on the EP.  Lanoue's vocals actually take on a Geoff Tate vibe in places here, particularly on the chorus sections, and the guitar solo, this time courtesy of Campbell, is a trippy take on the type of high speed stuff Paul Gilbert uses from time to time with Mr. Big.    

"The Journey" slows things down to close the EP out, and it is here that Kick The Wicked comes closest to showing their Fiction Syxx connection, as far as the more progressive style of the track.  For me, however, the track sounds more like some of the moodier Queensryche material from the album Promised Land.  Lanoue is an absolute BEAST of a vocalist, and "The Journey" showcases some of the strongest work he has put forth, regardless of the project, and his Tate influences are heavily felt here.  The layered backing vocals are done superbly well here, and the guitar work is exquisite.  This is the kind of material that really sets Fiction Syxx, and here, Kick The Wicked, apart from so many of their peers.  The songwriting is truly remarkable, as there are so many moving parts that these three guys...just THREE guys...manage to fine tune into a well-oiled machine.  It is a guarantee that part of the reason it took me so long to write this review was because I kept putting "The Journey" on repeat.  Do yourself a favor, get the best set of speakers you can find, or a really top-of-the-line set of noise cancelling headphones, and put "The Journey" on; you will hear so many more elements mixed into this tremendous track than you likely thought possible, and Lanoue's vocals, in particular, take on a depth and power beyond what you might glean from just a casual listen.  To say I love this song would be a MASSIVE understatement!

The production is great, the musicians here are all at the top of their game, the songwriting is all over the place, stylistically, but always top-shelf as far as song structure and construction, and the vocals outshine those of so many other bands that cross my desk or enter my mailbox.  Other than the fact that it is only 5 tracks long, I really have nothing negative to say about Drag Magnet.  Available on Spotify and anywhere you stream or buy digital music, there is no excuse for you to miss out on this killer EP.  

Oh...and while not part of Drag Magnet, do yourself a favor and snag the band's brand new single, "Firefly", while you are seeking out the EP.  Haunting and Floyd-ish in it's stylings, especially at the outset of the track, "Firefly" is the next step in what I hope is the continuing journey of Kick The Wicked.  Lanoue stretches his lower-range Tate vocals on this hard, progressive rocker which features another smoldering solo from Campbell.  Oh...and don't let the false finish fool you; stick around for the ending!  Check it out...

Rating:  An excellent little slab of melodic hard rock, with some metallic and alternative undertones!  Crank this to 8.5, with it's brevity one of the few marks against it!

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THEORY OF A DEADMAN "Dinosaur"

 

(c) 2023 Roadrunner

1. Dinosaur
2. Medusa (Stone)
3. Sick
4. Two Of Us (Stuck)
5. Ambulance
6. Sideways
7. Get In Line
8. Head In The Clouds
9. Hearts Too Wild
10. Summer Song

Tyler Connolly--Lead Vocals, Lead and Rhythm Guitar, Piano

Dave Brenner--Lead and Rhythm Guitars, Backing Vocals

Dean Back--Bass, Backing Vocals

Joey Dandeneau--Drums, Backing Vocals

They are back!  Theory Of A Deadman, easily one of my favorite rock bands of the past couple of decades are back with a new album, Dinosaur, and back with...their old style?  Longtime fans of the band will know exactly what I am talking about, as the band kind of swerved away from what they do best, which is thrown down some seriously snarky, seriously fun, post-breakup party rock.  On their previous two releases, 2017's Wake Up Call (you know, the one where they even changed their name to just "Theory"), and 2020's Say Nothing (which, ironically, DID nothing for most people),the band started incorporating some more pop styles and using a lot of programmed elements in their sound.  Outside of a couple of hits (the massively popular "Rx" from Wake Up Call, and the angry "History Of Violence" from Say Nothing) these albums generally left fans wanting and wondering what happened to their boys!

Well, wonder no more, gang, because the Canadian rockers have returned pretty much full-throttle to their old way.  Sure, there are a few quirks thrown in for good measure, but this is Theory Of A Deadman; they never do things the easy or straight way, right?

The album's title track kicks things off with a lot of what T.O.A.D. does best--big guitar riffs, big drums, and Connolly's tongue planted firmly in cheek--with this rollicking rocker.  I had the chance to see the band on the Rock Resurrection Tour a couple of weeks ago in Omaha (along with St. Asonia and headliners, Skillet), and the band opened the show with this track, with the audience slamming around and throwing their fists in the air as they chanted along to the song's "Hey! Kids!  Boys and Girls!" line.  Naturally, in typical Connolly fashion, a couple of F*bombs have to be cleaned up for terrestrial radio play, but it is instantly apparent this is the Theory Of A Deadman that fans, such as myself, have been waiting for for a couple of albums now.  They even found time to make a humorous video for the track.

"Medusa (Stone)" keeps the snarky rock rolling, reminding me quite a bit stylistically of one of the few great T.O.A.D. songs of the past few years, "Strait Jacket".  Lyrically, this is what Theory Of A Deadman has always done--taken one of life's low points and turned it into an instantly relatable rocker.  In this case, the low point is the song's protagonist falling in love with the wrong girl (Medusa), who gets him addicted to pills, turns our nice guy hero into a bad boy, then breaks his heart.  More of a mid-temp rocker than, say, "Bad Girlfriend" or "Hate My Life", but the chunky rock is all there!

"Sick" is another throwback to old-school Theory Of A Deadman, at least in its lyrical approach and attitude.  Similar to "Hate My Life" where Connolly starts things off by being being "so sick of the hobos always begging for change", this new song finds even more things for the singer to be sick of, declaring of his girl's social media addiction, "I'm so sick of the way what you say is so insane" and "sick of the face that you put on every day", finally declaring "I'm so sick of you, you must be sick of you, too."  Musically, it's an interesting mix of alternative, Weezer-ish sounding chords, especially on the verse sections, with a bit more aggressive chorus sections.  If it sounds out of the norm for Theory, well, it is, but unlike the weak pop-leanings of a lot of the last couple of albums, "Sick" still works in a fun way, largely because the band isn't taking themselves too seriously while experimenting with something new.

"Two Of Us (Stuck)" largely misses for me (my wife loves it), as it slows things way down and takes the original 1980 hit "Just The Two Of Us", and gives it a Theory Of A Deadman twist, turning it into a song about a dark relationship that won't work.  It's not that I don't appreciate the humor in what Connolly does here, it's just that it's kind of disruptive to the flow of the album and is unnecessary with so many other really good tracks.  It's possible my opinion means little to nothing, however, as the crowd seemed to appreciate it in the live setting.  Oh well...it's why the skip button was invented, correct?

Speaking of correcting things, that is exactly what "Ambulance" does next.  A repetitive guitar riff opens the track, with the expected ambulance siren screaming in over the top of it before the whole band kicks their way into the mix with a bottom-heavy roar that threatens to blow the speakers out of the doors.  Connolly adopts a rap-rock-lite approach on the verse sections that, again, are pure Theory in approach:  "Rolling to the club, got my boomstick.  Exes heading out the back with their broomsticks."  That big, churning rhythm riff returns on the chorus section to drive this uber-fun party rock track before giving way to the simplified verse section in a heavy-relaxed-heavy-relaxed trade-off that gets a bit funky in spots. Definitely one of the high points of a really strong record.

"Sideways" is a mid-tempo number that Connolly drops some nice piano work into.  The typical Theory subject of a broken relationship is actually given a serious treatment here, as the song is about a breakup that the singer is actually not okay with...and it works.  Connolly has always been able to add a good dollop of emotion to his lyrics when he chooses to, and "Sideways" is a perfect example of one of those times.  

"Get In Line" returns things to hard-rocking mode for the band with a vicious hook and so-simple-it's catchy chorus, and does exactly what it is supposed to do...gets you up and slamming around!  "Head In The Clouds" is a charming, mid-tempo, feel-good rocker that has a bit of a modern country bent to it without going full-Nashville.  "Hearts Too Wild" also has something of a country tinge to its musical coloring, but it's catchy enough that it works pretty darn well and has that top-down, Summer cruising kind of feel to it.

Fear not, folks, as Theory Of A Deadman knows exactly why you are here, and they deliver with the rollicking album-closer, "Summer Song".  Nope...not a song about Summer, the season, but a song about Summer, the wild party girl who is the obsession of the lead singer.  Things start out great for the couple, but by the end of the track, the protagonist realizes he has forsaken his friends and everything he loved to do all for the sake of Summer, adding in that elemental twist that you've come to expect from Theory Of A Deadman.

Look, the guys don't reinvent rock here, nor do they try to.  They just do what they've (mostly) always done, which is examine life through the eyes of a blue-collared, Average Joe, who loves to party, hates his job, loves his woman...until she wants to kill him (or he wants to kill her)...and just wants to throw down at a good old rock n roll show every now and then.  Dinosaur is a strong, expletive-filled return to what the boys have been doing pretty much non-stop since they hit the scene in 2002, and certainly since their breakthrough albums Gasoline and Scars & Souvenirs.  It's not high-brow, better-than-you rock; this is music that is open to anyone and everyone that wants to party along with the band!  

Rating:  Dinosaur returns the Canadians to crankable territory, with their best album since Savages!  Crank this to 8.

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ROYAL BLISS "Survival"

 

(c) 2023 Air Castle Records

1. We Rise
2. Black Rhino
3. Medication
4. Goodbye Love Song
5. Never
6. Full Moon Rising
7. Ritalin
8. Burn It Down
9. Chasing Stars
10. Fire Within
11. Fight Another Day
12. Lead The Way

Neal Middleton--Lead Vocals

Taylor Richards--Guitar

Brian Hennesy--Bass

Jake Smith--Drums, Percussion

Additional Musicians

Shim--Vocals on "Medication"

At long last Royal Bliss has released a new album!  It was 2019 when the band released their previous self-titled album, and 2020 when they released the digital only, quasi-Christmas EP, Our Favorite Things , so while I may not have been a decade or anything, for Royal Bliss fans, it has been a long time since we had something new to pop into our CD players!  

Of course, the band has been keeping fans somewhat sated with the release of multiple singles over the past couple of years, most of which find their way onto Survival.  For example, the full tilt, angst-driven rocker, "Medication", came out in the Covid Summer of 2020.  Featuring SHIM, formerly of Sick Puppies, this track garnered national attention for Royal Bliss, charting Top 20 on the Billboard/Mediabase Radio Chart.  Doesn't ring a bell?  Here...let me help you out...

"Black Rhino" was also previously released in late 2022, also finding some success and charting Top 25 on that same Billboard/Mediabase Radio chart.  Definitely one of my favorite tracks on the album, "Black Rhino" springs to life with a catchy guitar riff from Richards and some high-octane drum work from Smith before the gritty, weathered vocals of Middleton work their way into the mix.  His edgy snarl on the chorus section is absolutely perfect for the urgency of the track, and the rumbling bass work from Hennesy keeps the song bounding forward, paving the way for Richards to grind away on rhythm guitar.  Definitely one of my favorite Royal Bliss tracks of the past few releases.  Check it out...

Truly dedicated Royal Bliss fans will also recognize one of my absolute favorite Bliss songs ever, "The Fire Within".  No, you won't find it on any of their previous studio efforts, but if you managed to snag the limited run live album, Live @ Rigby Road, from 2017, then you likely heard and fell in love with this song right off the bat.  A powerful mid-tempo number, "The Fire Within" really allows Middleton to shine as his vocals soar, especially on the uplifting chorus about making one's way in the world.  Interestingly, the band made a studio-version video for this track about a year ago, so obviously they have had this track around for some time and just never found the album to put it on.  So glad they included it here!

And, if you've been following the band on Facebook, you also know they have already released the song "Full Moon Rising", as well, and released an official lyric video for this mid-tempo rocker a couple of months ago.  Again, an excellent track that packs a wallop on the chorus section, while playing things a bit more sparse on the verse portions of the track, really allowing Middleton room to work his vocal magic.  I love the rhythm that Smith uses on this track, simple-but-snappy, and Richards' solo, while not flashy, is soulful and reflective of the rest of the track.  This is the type of song that Royal Bliss does best, in my mind, that punchy mid-tempo groove rocker that has a big, sing-along chorus and a catchy hook that makes you swear you have heard the track before...even though you know you haven't.  Check it out below...

 

So enough with the songs you've probably...hopefully...heard, what about the rest?  Things get kicked off in fine fashion with album opener, "We Rise", a full-throated rocker that really sets the tone for the record.  A slow build, with some fuzzed-up guitars lead the way in, with Smith setting the tempo and Hennesy rumbling right along with him, as Middleton is on a slow burn through the first verse before exploding with the driving chorus section.  The second verse has some layered vocals helping Middleton along to the next chorus, followed by a great guitar solo from Richards, who never fails to keep me guessing as to what type of tone he is going to employ.  Here he uses a bit of a retro-tuned sound that sets itself apart from the rest of the modern rock track without being a distraction.  

"Goodbye Love Song" is one of the greatest kiss-off tracks I've heard in some time!  I'm not positive it has been released as an official single, but there is a lyric video to this track, so see what you think...

"Never" is up next and is the first time the listener really gets a chance to fully catch their breath.  The haunting echo of Middleton's voice and the mournful tone of Richards' guitar carry the entirety of the first verse, with a simple drum line and something of a walking bass line joining in on verse two.  Things build on the second run through what passes as a chorus here, although its not your typical repetitive chorus that runs throughout the track.  A short solo from Richards brings the song back to another partial chorus run before the track fades out.  The construction of the song is a bit different, but I dig it, and I think most people can get behind the message of the song.

After "Full Moon Rising" builds the pace back up just a bit, things get fully aggressive again with the punkish "Ritalin" which finds Middleton about as angry as I have ever heard him, especially on the barked verse sections.  The chorus has some melodic elements to it, but make no mistake, this is an angry rocker that will threaten to break out in a mosh pit, which I don't know if I have ever seen at a Royal Bliss show.  Could be interesting!

"Burn It Down" brings the pace back down a bit, and this is, again, one of those songs that Royal Bliss just does so well.  My son told me the other day that this sounds like summer driving music, and I couldn't agree more with his assessment.  The whole song is just a smooth, mid-tempo number with some great, layered vocals on the chorus section, and more of the heartfelt work fans are accustomed to hearing Middleton weave through a song.  I really hope this is a concert track, because I want to get the full live effect of this song.  Love it!

"Chasing Stars" teases at slowing back down just a bit, but Smith has some big, pounding drums that betray those thoughts, and we are treated to yet another soaring mid-tempo rocker that is this band's calling card.  Just such great songwriting on display here! 

The same can be said of the powerful "Live To Fight Another Day", another potent mid-tempo rocker that features some cool rhythm changes in the drum patterns between verse and chorus, and a guitar solo section that borders on becoming a breakdown of sorts.  The backing vocals are used extremely well once again, and the overall feel of this song is uplifting and positive, even though the subject matter sounds like it could be bitter.  Live to fight another day; great words to live by in any situation.

The album's closer is a bit of an oddity as far as song structure goes.  The tempo is kicked up just a bit, especially on the chorus sections, and there is just something about the tune that sounds quirky yet catchy.  I can hear the crowds singing along to the chorus in a live setting, and I can envision the band just going off while performing this hard-hitting song.  I can understand why it is at the end of the album, as it doesn't fit pretty much anything else, style-wise, and it feels like it could have come from an earlier album, like Waiting Out The Storm or Chasing The Sun.  Don't think for a second that I'm saying something negative here, by the way, as those are two of my favorite, most-played albums of the past 25 years, no question.

I'll be honest, I'm surprised--and also glad--that the band didn't include one of the numerous cover songs they worked up during the pandemic lockdown time they had to spend off the road.  While I love the tunes, and maybe they will surface on a covers album all its own at some point, this is a band that is so talented as performers and songwriters that they really don't need to do other people's music.  

It is always amazing to me that more people don't know who Royal Bliss is, as this band is simply one of the best rock bands out there today, in my not-so-humble opinion.  Great guys to meet, excellent if you get to see them live, and always engaging with their fans on Facebook and other social media, Royal Bliss deserves to be much bigger than the couple of run-ins with fame they have had over the years.  Do yourself a favor and seek them out if they come anywhere remotely near you (I'm planning to head to Lincoln, NE in just a few weeks to see them play), and by all means, snag yourself a copy of this killer new album!  Survival has something for every fan of the band and something for nearly any type of rock fan.  While you're at it, grab a couple of their older albums as well and see what I have been preaching about for nearly a decade now!

Rating:  Oh, so crankable!  Royal Bliss continues to deliver some of the most powerful, soulful rock n roll on the planet!  Crank this to a 9 and prepare to hit repeat...often!

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**RETRO REVIEW** HOLY SOLDIER "Promise Man"

 

(c) 1995 Forefront Records

1. Promise Man
2. Mumbo Jumbo
3. My World
4. Rust
5. Why Don't You Look Into Jesus
6. Break It Down
7. Cover Me
8. Grind
9. Love Conquers All
10. Sand

Eric Wayne--Lead Vocals

Michael Cutting--Guitars, Mandolin, Backing Vocals

Scott Soderstrom--Guitars

Andy Robbins--Bass, Backing Vocals

Terry "Animal" Russell--Drums, Percussion

Additional Musicians:

Dennis Hall--Drums

Ken Lewis--Drums

Christian rock and metal have always been accused of trend-chasing.  "This band sounds like that band", and on and on.  To my recollection, no band has had more fingers pointed at them, or accusations made, than Holy Soldier.  Perhaps that was with good reason, at least on the surface.  Holy Soldier was a band straight out of the Los Angeles/Hollywood hair metal scene featuring a polished sound, a solid stage show, and a large fan base.   After proving to be extremely successful on the Sunset Strip, with many people arguing that Holy Soldier successfully supplanted Stryper as the best Christian band to come out of that scene, the band was signed to Myrrh Records and their debut, self-titled album was released in 1990. Two years later, the band's second album, Last Train, was released, again on Myrrh Records, with both albums solidly establishing the quintet as a polished melodic metal band, easily on par with their secular counterparts from the hair metal scene. Of course, we all know that scene disintegrated with the arrival of grunge and, coupled with what Myrrh considered to be lackluster sales for Last Train, Holy Soldier lost their contract...and then their lead singer...again.  Refusing to cave in and fold, the band brought Eric Wayne back into the fold as their lead singer (he had replaced Stephen Patrick at one time previously), moved to Nashville, and signed to Forefront Records.  It is at this point that the trend-chasing accusations become prominent, as in 1995 the band released their third album, the down-tuned, plodding, bottom-heavy rocker Promise Man, to wide-spread acclaim...and condemnation.  With Wayne's much lower, throatier vocals, and the darker vibe of the music as a whole, the grunge tag was slapped on Promise Man in a hurry, and with good reason, as this album was about as grungy as anything in the Christian scene at the time.

Whether the band was truly chasing trends or not, Promise Man was never going to satisfy the hair metal fan's thirst for more music, as there was legitimately nothing on this record that bore much of a resemblance to the sound of the Strip.  Sure, there are several really cool, soulful guitar solos, with "Mumbo Jumbo" being a perfect example, but there was no flash, no glitz or glam to be found on this album.  That being said, the interplay between Cutting and Soderstrom is phenomenal throughout the abum, its just done in a different key and chord progression than hair metal enthusiasts desired.  Instead of trying to make what ended up becoming Patrick's solo Red Reign album, Holy Soldier went after a sound more akin to mid-tempo Alice In Chains, Soundgarden, and especially Stone Temple Pilots, which was fine by me, as I was really into those bands, as well. I was never as strict about drawing genre lines as a lot of my musical friends were, and If I liked it, I liked it. I was an open fan of a lot of grunge bands, and still am to this day.  

I'm sure a lot of fans from the first two albums double-checked the name on the label...yep, says Holy Soldier...and even looked to see that former Bloodgood guitarist, David Zaffiro, was still producing the band, which he was.  I can only imagine the flurry of skip button strikes there were as fans desperately transitioned from track to track, trying to find something familiar to hold on to.  Try as they might, however, that version of the band was nowhere to be found on this album.  I'm not going to lie and tell you that I wasn't taken aback by the shift, or that I was an instant fan of this album, because I was not.  I didn't instantly dismiss the record, however.  I loved the punchier title track from the moment I heard it, and having previously heard Larry Norman's version of "Why Don't You Look Into Jesus", I was intrigued to hear what H5 was going to do to the song.  I have to admit that I was pleasantly surprised to hear the even darker take on a song that had already left a lot of Christians at a loss with lyrics that spoke openly about addiction, promiscuous sex, HIV (a lyrical change in keeping with the era), and alcoholism.  True, it may seem difficult to go "darker" than Norman was on the original, but with the gritty, grungy musical vibe, and Wayne's song-perfect vocals, this track is an absolute highlight of the record!

Elsewhere, people who skipped through the record missed out on the excellent "Rust", which features some great, bluesy slide guitar and vocals from Wayne that pull themselves from the lowest end of his range to a more tenor-based sound that perfectly suits the music.  If I'm being honest, this is possiby my favorite track on the record, although it's difficult to argue against the title track or "...Look Into Jesus", or the album's closing track (more on that in a minute) as top song material, also.

"Break It Down" continues the trend of great, down-tuned tracks, and it is here and on the next track that I think a Soundgarden comparison is pretty easy to make.  Wayne's vocals are lower than those used by Chris Cornell, but the vibe of the track and the use of the backing vocals is definitely reminiscent of Superunknown-era Soundgarden, at least to my ear.  "Cover Me" also falls into this category, as well, and it is here that Wayne sounds the most like Cornell.  The staccato rhythm guitar and simple, kick-snare-kick-snare drum attack on the verse sections really set-off the more complicated, more aggressive pre-chorus and chorus sections, where Wayne's soaring vocals really stand out.  There's a cool, effects-laden guitar solo here that really needs to be heard to be appreciated, but don't go looking for a soaring fret run like you might hear on Holy Soldier or Last Train, as that is not the goal or approach of this solo.  This is another track that definitely vies for the best of the bunch title. 

"Grind" is the fastest track on the record, and it hits pretty hard overall, as the band takes on a Stone Temple Pilots vibe here.  Short and punchy, "Grind" stands starkly in contrast to the ballad, "Love Conquers All", which drops next.  While "...Look Into Jesus" is definitely a slower track, it is not a ballad in the same sense as "Love Conquers All" is.  Layered backing vocals and a really nice melody line provide a strong support for Wayne's powerful moan on this, the most uplifting song on the record.  It isn't a stretch to hear the old version of Holy Soldier tackling this track with a power ballad approach and Stephen Patrick's much higher-register vocals, but even as great as I imagine that would have sounded, I can't envision it having a stronger impact.

"Sand" closes the album with an very cool, mid-tempo Stone Temple Pilots-meets-Led Zeppelin style that is definitely right in the wheelhouse of this version of the band.  If you question the Zep mention, all you have to do is hear the "Kashmir"-esque vibes of the guitar lines as the track rocks its way to a conclusion.  Elsewhere, there's a false finish less than a minute and a half into the song, and the closest thing to a melodic metal guitar solo on the record can be found at about the 2:15 mark, but other than that, this is a nice, gritty rocker that would have slotted in perfectly on 90s rock radio...or on SiriusXM's Lithium channel today.  Again, this is a track that I find myself drawn to repeat pretty much every time I pop this CD in.  Musically, this is probably the album at its peak, and "Sand" is right there fighting for best of the bunch, in my opinion, even if it is give the distinction of album closer.

I know this album was a shock for many, if not all, Holy Soldier fans when it was released nearly 30 years ago.  I know a lot of people skipped through it and then tossed it aside or traded it in at a used CD shop.  And I get it; I was stunned, too.  After all, I was a kid who had the self-titled album's cover as one of the main posters on my college dorm wall, and I deeply love those first two, Patrick-fronted albums.  But as I gave this album more spins, I first grew to appreciate, then to really like, what Holy Soldier was bringing to the table now.  I am curious how the band combined the two styles in a live setting, especially with Wayne now fronting the band and sounding nothing like Patrick, but my guess is they leaned heavily on this new record and just dropped in the grittier, bluesier material from the first two records.  Regardless, if you are among the many who gave this record no shot previously, you may find yourself pleasantly surprised if you give it a chance today.  I mean, hey...it's easy to find on YouTube, Amazon Music, iTunes, etc., and I can pretty much guarantee you can find it for under $5 in the bargain bin at your local used CD shop.  

Rating:  Call it trendy grunge if you will, but I call it crankable!  Nearly 30 years after its release, Promise Man still gets a 7.5!

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ARCH ENEMY "Deceivers"

 

(c) 2022 Century Media

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

Alissa White-Gluz--Lead Vocals

Michael Amott--Guitars, Backing Vocals

Jeff Loomis--Guitars, Backing Vocals

Sharlee D'Angelo--Bass, Backing Vocals

Daniel Erlandsson--Drums, Percussion

Additional Musician

Raphael Liebermann--Cello on "Poisoned Arrow"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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KEVIN PIKE "Guitar Graffiti"

 

(c)2022 Roxx Records

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

Kevin Pike--Lead, Rhythm Guitars

Timothy Gaines--Bass

Arnaud Krakowa--Drums

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

Now, THAT was a lot of fun!

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

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

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STRYPER "The Final Battle"

(c) 2022 Frontiers Records

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

Michael Sweet--Lead Vocals, Lead and Rhythm Guitars

Oz Fox--Lead and Rhythm Guitars, Backing Vocals

Perry Richardson--Bass, Backing Vocals

Robert Sweet--Drums, "Visual Time Keeper"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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WHITECROSS "Fear No Evil" EP

 

(c) 2022 Dark Star Records

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

Dave Roberts--Lead Vocals

Rex Carroll--Guitars

Benny Ramos--Bass

Michael Feighan--Drums

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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