This is yet another fine slab of hard rock glory. This release has very much an '80s feel to it, evoking Journey, Foreigner, and bands like Tesla. This release was produced by Guns N' Roses guitarist Gilby Clarke and evokes that certain LA vibe. Bruce Kulick of KISS fame and Bobby Blotzer of RATT appear here to lend a hand by giving this band the cred they need to take 'em to the next level.
Now this is by no means a pastiche of '80s LA rock; some of it evokes more recent music, including the Scandinavian hard rock scene. Basically this a great record with all the attitude and bravado you want to hear from this sort of hard rock. I love the title track and the opener "You Could be the One." This is a solid release from a great band that improves with each release.
It's great that Frontiers continues to help such talent get their music to the keen hard rock public. If you are a fan of decent hard rock then you owe yourself a look at this band and some of the others on the label. They have something for everyone.
Praying Mantis - Sanctuary
Now many of you might have only heard of this lot from their appearance on the various new wave of British heavy metal compilations kicking about. They were one of several bands that were critically admired but never managed to get out of the mid-pack. “Time Tells No Lies,” their 1981 debut, actually stands the test of time better than some of the “bigger” releases of the era.
That said, the band are back with a cracking release almost 30 years after their debut. There are some good tunes here, ones that feel contemporary but evoke the right feeling of proper hard rock. Whether it's "Restless Heart" or the title track, this is a quality release from beginning to end. This is some of the best new British hard rock that I have heard in quite a while, and there is quite a lot of decent stuff about. One name that seems to come up when listening to this band is April Wine. “Tears in the Rain” could be on any of that band’s prime releases.
Article comments