One of the top three metal releases of the year! A brilliant album from the hard rocking U.S. foursome lead by vocalist Mark Slaughter, who also contributes some guitar and keyboards, as well as writing all the songs with bass player Dana Strum. Slaughter's voice is like a more aggressive Shirley Straughan, which is a good thing no matter what you tall poppy cutters may think, and the music sounds like the band grew up on a very healthy diet of Kiss (very obvious on a few tracks), Bad Company, Free and the rest of the 70s heavy rock legends. The single "Searchin'Ó with it's catchy, shoutalong chorus (a la Kiss) follows the kick ass metal gem "Like There's No Tomorrow" and the grinding "Get Used to it". The very Sergeant Pepperish "It'll Be Allright" is a marvellous highlight and one of the finest rock ballads of recent times, and one with a positive message. "Let the Good Times Roll" speaks for itself, an anthemic good-time rock 'n' roller ideal for "lads night out" beer swilling. "Breakdown 'n' Cry" is your "tough guys weep too" type ballad, yes I love the metal ballad and don't see it as selling out...So what? "Hard Times" is a typical ballsy hard rocker and "Yesterday's Gone" is a medium-paced cruiser. "Outta My Head" is a punchy rocker about hanging out to bonk some girl and precedes the album's finale, the frantic "Unknown Destination." This is a sensational album from a great rock band, and one that most metal fans would appreciate is they got their heads out of their arses.
Jason Lowe
Back to Bill's Best Rock Music Page - Slaughter