More high-tech Metal from Italy! This 2nd release from axe-killer Aldo Giuntini has many similarities to "The Cage" [see Previous Reviews]:same vocalist [Tony Martin],same rhythm section [Fulvio Gaslini,bass & Ezio Secomandi on drums],as well as production/engineering by Kit Woolven and Cage guitarist Dario Mollo.Hell,it was even recorded at Mollo`s own studio,Ventimiglia! Stylistically,however,"Giuntini II"leans more towards the Power Metal end of the spectrum,with a pronounced European flavor.The sound is big,loud,and it ROCKS HARD!From the opener,"Sacrifice",the thunderous "Dead Ringer","Letters from the Dead",to the Speed Metal rage of "Cyberchrist",this album NEVER lets up!The songs are well written & catchy as HELL! And with Tony Martin singing,you KNOW you`re talkin`about a class act;as with "The Cage",Martin displays all the qualities that made his tenure with Black Sabbath one of THE high points of that bands career.[BS don`t know what they`ve lost...!]And Giuntini? "Guitar Player from Hell"fits this guy to a "T"! Memorable riffs,scalding [yet tasteful] lead breaks,he can do it all.The phrase "Jack of all trades,master of none" does NOT apply here!The instrumental "Baghdad" exemplifies this,as do all the 15 tracks on "II".Yep,the 21st century is lookin` REAL good![Hey,Aldo & Tony:WE-WANT-MORE!]
"I think this should`ve been the follow-up to Heaven & Hell" "This is by far the best band we`ve had."
[Tony Iommi,discussing "Headless Cross" in an interview with Raw Magazine,May 2nd,1989]
These days,of course,ol` Tony`s singing a different tune,now that he`s on Ozzy Has-Been`s payroll! But looking back 10 years later,Iommis long-ago enthusiasum is understandable.The above re-issued CDs are among the bands FINEST! And while here in the States,both "Headless Cross"and 'TYR" got a rather chilly response,world-wide they went thru the roof!The tours that followed these albums were unqualified smashes;Europe,Japan,Australia, Russia,just one victory after another! Before all this,Sabbath had pretty much attained an international profile about as low as a snakes nuts.But the new,improved Sabs` steered themselves right back to the top! The band;Iommi,relative new-comer Tony "Cat" Martin on vocals,drum GOD Cozy Powell [RIP],Neil Murray on bass [Laurence Cottle played on "..Headless"],and Geoff Nichols on keyboards.With all the combined Rock history in THAT line-up,there was no WAY to lose!"..Headless" was a mixture of traditional,pounding Black Sabbath with an eye towards the future;"TYR" dealt largely with Norse mythology.In fact,"Headless Cross" was,for many years,ranked the 2nd most popular album by the Black Sabbath Appreciation Society"Heaven and Hell" was #1.And "Headless Cross",as well as "Anno Mundi" were staples of the bands live set right up till Martins` last gig.They don`t do `em anymore,probably because those tunes require a vocalist,not a circus performer.Oh,well! Buy these discs [as well as "Cross Purposes","Cross Purposes-Live",and "Forbidden"] and enjoy!
YEAH! One of Ohio`s best kept Hard Rock secrets is making HUGE waves with the soon-to-be-released full length "Get To You".And if this 5-song promo is any indication,Jeannine St.Clairs` existence won`t remain a secret for long! Some have compared her to Lita Ford;as I`ve never been a fan of Lita`s,I would consider these comparisons a disservice.Jeannine is MILES above Ford! Want proof? This one-time former vocalist for female Glam/Punk outfit Cherry Bombs belts out good ol` fashioned [but hardly dated] Heavy Rock,the likes of which hasn`t been heard since the marauding Seattle hordes swept through the music industry.The same industry now tries to tell us that this kind of music is as dead as Elvis.WRONG! From the opening salvo,"Out of My Reach",St.Clair goes right for the throat!"Blaze",a hot`n`heavy Rocker,is probably my favorite,and on this CD,choosing a favorite ain`t easy! The title track is an INSTANT anthem [an autobiography as well?],as is "Sun`s Gone Down" and the closer "My Device",the most "Modern" sounding tune on the album.All of these are driven by Jeannine`s heartfelt,gutsy vocal delivery,as well as her multi-talented band:Billy Morris & Joe Frietchen[guitars],Rose Kuhel [bass],and Todd Shelly[drums].Do NOT pass this one up! I think I`ll let Jeannine have the last word here:"I`d like to believe I`m the Rocker with the power and soul to move the music into the 21st century." Amen...
They don`t make `em like THIS anymore! Singer/song-writer/shredder Kat Marco has released this 3-song CD that not only harkens back to Rock`s better days,but also looks to the future,as well.And if these tracks are any indication,the future`s lookin` VERY bright,indeed! Recorded at world-renowned Morrisound studios and featuring a stellar rhythm section[which includes Jeff Berlin,who`s played with almost everybody,as well as being a longtime columnist for Guitar Player magazine],as well as being co-produced & engineered by Jim Morris,Tom Morris,[Kat herself was producer]and Steve "Dr. Killdrums" Wacholz [Savatage],"Maiden Voyage",quite simply,ROCKS!!! After all,a roster like the afore-mentioned wouldn`t work with just anybody!And Kat Marco,as you`ll soon discover,is hardly "Anybody". This lady has talent to SPARE,in ALL departments! Sure,she can tear up the fretboard like any seasoned shredder,but it`s always in control, never TOO over the top,and very much for the song.And obviously much thought & care went into these tunes;"Alone at Midnight" is a solid,mid-paced rocker that features Kat`s passionate,heart-felt vocals [she can really hit those HIIIIGH notes,folks!].An even better example of this emotive vocal style is on display in"To Touch Your Face";Kat sings every word like she means it,straight from the gut,every syllable dripping with emotion! The final track,"Rebel Renegade",rocks HARD!This one`s gonna be one of THE Hard Rock anthems of the 21st century,mark my words! Such a unique combination of talents in one living soul is rare,especially in a music world where [GACK] Blink 182 and Korn get Guitar magazine cover stories!THIS Kat DEFINITELY has more than 9 lives! Naturally,I don`t have to tell to get this album,`cause you`re already ordering it at this very moment,AREN`T YOU!? I thought so...
In a perfect world,Loudness would be selling out arenas world-wide & selling CD`s by the metric ton,while fumble-fingered losers like Green Day,Korn,and Marilyn Manson hawked their dubious musical skills at the homeless shelters and street corners where they belong.But this is not a perfect world,and Loudness are restricted to super-stardom in their native Japan.Many consider them just another lost `80`s band;but those of us "in the know" have followed their career right up to the present,eagerly awaiting each release!And that brings us to their latest album.Continuing along the lines as their previous CD`s ["Dragon","Ghetto Machine","Heavy Metal Hippies"],Loudness producer/leader/guitar visionary Akira Takasaki has outdone himself here! Tragically under-rated,Akira is unquestionably one of the most creative minds ever to turn his attention to the world of Rock.From high-tech shred to blues to feed-back drenched psychedelic freak-outs,this boy can do it all!And,he can play most the competition [North,South,East,AND West!]clear into the next county! Nowhere is this better displayed than on "Engine".After the sonic experimentation/intro "Soul Tone",the disc dives headlong into "Bug Killer",which features a totally PSYCHOTIC main riff & a groove the Red Hot Chilli Peppers WISH they could come with!Next is "Black Biohazard", a punishing,mid-paced monster."Ace in the Hole"has a definite Middle Eastern feel [a recent Loudness tradition],while "Twist of Chain,"Bad Date/Nothin`I Can Do",and"Burning Eye Balls"utilize modern psychedelia,which helps temper their Metallic overtones,giving the band a completely unique sound!Of course,even Akira can`t accomplish all this on his own;MasakiYamada [The very BEST Loudness vocalist,as far as I`m concerned] has a vocal style like no other,while the rhythm section of Hirotsugu Homma [Drums] and Naoto Shibata [Bass] play with a rock solid,yet free flowing,precision,and are MORE than equal to the musical task that Akira presents them with! This CD is a Japanese import,so you`re gonna pay a little more,but it`s worth it! To all US record labels:Get yer heads outta yer asses!We NEED these guys....