To be perfectly honest, several recent personal factors have made the writing process just a tad on the difficult side for me as of late, to say the least (call it what the old-timers used to if you like – writer’s block). But I had hoped that a showing of the limited-release film Megadeth: Behind The Mask, in which the band’s history is chronicled in full and their seventeenth and final studio album, simply titled Megadeth, is revealed, would be enough to snap me out of it, if only for a short time. Thankfully I was right.
I had been following the singles leading up to the release of their historic last magnus opus as best as I could. “Tipping Point” and “Let There Be Shred” were likable enough, while “I Don’t Care” felt a little too juvenile and forced (though the video is on the fun side).
But once you dive in, there’s way more to discover and like, albeit still the occasional filler track or two. Highlights include “Obey The Call,” the extremely relatable “Another Bad Day,”and possibly my favorite of the bunch, “I Am War,” which reaches anthem-like epic proportions. “The Last Note” makes for a fitting grand finale, while a bonus track cover of Metallica’s “Ride The Lightning” is frontman Dave Mustaine’s ode to his own past.
I could feel a wave of sadness coming over me as I knew the end was approaching though; not only at the thought of saying goodbye to a band that has been there throughout so many fond memories during my lifetime, but at the thought of an old friend and fellow fan of mine, whose recent passing not even two weeks ago hit me like a ton of bricks (remember those “personal factors” I had alluded to earlier?) Still, I’ll forever be grateful for the time I’ve had with both. Thanks for everything Dave, and see you on the other side, Daniel.
With Christmas just days away, it felt like as good of a time as ever to finally sit down and give the all-new Stryper album dedicated to the season, which came out roughly one month ago now, a fair try.
The Greatest Gift of All gives longtime fans of The Yellow and Black Attack what they’ve always wanted; a full album of traditional and original Christmas numbers with a rocking edge at a time when the world can surely use them.
While I’ve never been too big of a “Little Drummer Boy” fan, tracks like “Go Tell It On The Mountain” and “Joy to the World” still hold up well, and the likes of “Still The Light” and “On This Holy Night” are hard not to like here.
Admittedly I may not be the prime example of a practicing Christian by any means, but I’m trying to do better in my older years now. And with all the evil lurking out there in the world these days, it’s not such a bad thing to get a little holy now and then.
It’s kind of ironic that Mike Tramp, the iconic voice behind ’80s hard rockers White Lion, would release his latest album of the band’s material re-recorded at a time when I’ve been on a personal kick of sorts of their earlier catalog (specifically the band’s 1985 debut effort, Fight to Survive).
So I was more than stoked when the recent zombie-inspired video for the title track to said first album, “Fight to Survive,” dropped (complete with an appearance from legendary metal DJ Eddie Trunk himself), which is just as fun as it is chessy.
More tracks like “She’s Got Everything,” “In The City,” “If My Mind is Evil,” and “All Burn in Hell” (still one of my personal favorites, both then and now) are all strong numbers. But surprisingly, some of the updated versions found here (such as “Cherokee”) lose a bit of their edge this time around.
White Lion is without a doubt one of the most underrated acts of their era, and the fact that Tramp is still keeping the music alive is a testament to his tenacity; give this one a spin with an open mind and you might just discover something you never knew you loved.
Sweden’s Crazy Lixx have been steadily climbing the ranks of rock for over two decades now, yet somehow feel as though they’re still one of rock’s best kept secrets. It’s been four years since the band’s last studio album, and Thrill of the Bite could not have come at a better time.
Kicking off their ninth full-length effort appropriately enough with “Highway Hurricane,” the band truly find their footing by the time they reach “Who Said Rock and Roll is Dead” and the six-minute “Little Miss Dangerous.”
Other tracks like “Hunt For Danger” and “Midnight Rebels” are fun enough. But the album’s finest moments find themselves sandwiched between the rest; “Call of the Wild,” “Recipe For Revolution,” and “Run Run Wild” are enough to make the likes of Whitesnake or Dokken proud just about any day of the week.
It might be easy for some to just write-off a band like Crazy Lixx and label them as “silly,” but make no mistake that this is the type of music with the power to motivate and make one take notice/feel alive again, and there’s not a damn thing silly about that.
Often times many “supergroups” may sound good on paper, but end up just feeling forced and/or just plain forgettable. Such is not the case with Revolution Saints, who, now four albums in, seem to be hitting their stride.Founded and fronted by Journey drummer extraordinaire Deen Castronovo, the group is currently rounded out by Whitesnake/former Night Ranger guitarist Joel Hoekstra, and Foreigner/former Dokken and Dio (and recent Rewind It interviewee) bassist Jeff Pilson.
Things start off a little on the safe side with the somewhat basic title track, but quickly progress with the likes of “Changing My Mind,” “Fall On My Knees,” and the ballad “Can’t End It Right Now,” all of which deserving to be modern hits in their own right (if only radio these days didn’t focus on just the same classic “hits” unfortunately).
Journey’s obvious influence definitely shines all the way through to the ending track “No Turning Back,” and fans of their music should have no problem whatsoever adapting to the sound of Revolution Saints (I certainly haven’t); give it a fair try and you might just be surprised with the results.
For many years now, bassist Jeff Pilson has been someone I’ve held much respect for (as one bass player to another), and has been on my radar to interview for quite some time now. But with someone with as many fires consistently burning as Pilson has, that is not always an easy feat. Currently, Pilson is still rocking stages with classic rockers Foreigner, and has two new albums soon to drop with both “supergroups” Revolution Saints, and The End Machine.
My patience finally paid off this past Tuesday, January 30, when I was finally able to sit down and speak with Jeff regarding all of the previously-mentioned projects of his, as well as touch upon other aspects of his storied career, including playing in such other legendary acts as Dokken and Dio.
With new music from Revolution Saints looming on the horizon, I wanted to jump right on the subject of that group right away, and asked a little about how his involvement with them initially came about. He explained; “It was a project originally conceived by (Frontiers President and mastermind) Serafino Perugino, and just one of those things that I just couldn’t resist. I had already met and worked with (Whitesnake guitarist) Joel Hoekstra over the years, and (Journey drummer) Deen Castronovo is just a total powerhouse in everything he does. It’s all come together fairly organically, and definitely looking forward to the new album.” (AgainsttheWinds will be dropping via Frontiers Music s.r.l. on February 9.)
Having a chance to already preview said upcoming album, I personally had a favorite track from it in mind already, and wondered if Jeff possibly had one as well. He told me; “I wouldn’t say I necessarily have a favorite track per se, since I tend to gauge things as a whole. I’d say the entire record is really solid overall.”
As previously alluded to, Pilson has also been busy once more with The End Machine, a project he started with former Dokken bandmate George Lynch in 2018. I asked him what could be expected with their upcoming third album, The Quantum Phase (set to be released in March), and he explained; “Well, it’s our first album with our new singer Girish Pradhan, who’s just such an amazing young talent that brings so much to the table. His vocal styles really compliment the band, and we’re extremely excited for everyone to hear the end results!”
2024 also marks twenty solid years for Pilson as a member of Foreigner, and I had to know what it was like for him when he first joined a band of such stature. He told me; “It’s been nothing short of phenomenal, having grown up listening to so many of those classic songs over the years and then having the chance to be up there actually playing them live has been such a joy. And we’re definitely excited to be getting out there this year and doing one last major stretch of the whole nine-months-out-of-the-year touring cycle.”
I was also curious what it was like playing quite possibly one of the greatest power ballads of all time every night in the form of “I Want to Know What Love Is” (which actually turns forty years old this year), and Pilson stated; “To this day I still get goosebumps from playing it and hearing the crowd sing it back to us. It’s just one of those timeless songs that everyone knows and loves, I’ve always personally loved it, along with “Waiting For a Girl Like You.”‘
And speaking of power ballads, I also wanted to know if he felt “Alone Again,” the very first ballad he had ever co-written while a member of Dokken, still holds up to this day. Pilson explained; “Don (Dokken, lead singer) already had the bare bones for that song for quite some time, and I just came in and helped complete it. I’d say it definitely holds up though – being told from the perspective of someone longing for something they cannot have will always no doubt be a fairly universal theme.”
Of course I wouldn’t be a good journalist if I didn’t at least inquire if the chance for a reunion (or even possibly a one-off show or two) with Dokken could someday be a possibility in the distant horizon. Pilson stated; “I wouldn’t ever rule anything out entirely (because there’s always a chance), but I know he currently has his new album out that he’s still promoting at the moment, and I’m definitely busy with all of the projects I currently have going on right now as well, so it’s definitely not a necessity at this given time.”
I also couldn’t resist to ask what it was like filming the video for “Dream Warriors” (from 1987’s ANightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors), and if he was a fan of horror films prior to that moment. He told me; “I wouldn’t say I was a huge fan of horror films before that, but I always liked the Nightmare on Elm Street movies, and working with Robert (Englund) and being around him as Freddy was a ton of fun, and just a total blast on set!”
As if being a member of each of the previously-mentioned bands was not enough already, Pilson also spent some time on-and-off with the legendary Dio in the ’90s and early 2000’s. I asked him to tell me a little about what that experience was like for him, and, of the three albums he recorded with them, if he had a personal favorite. He enlightened me; “That was another dream come true, to be up there alongside someone like Ronnie James Dio – what more can you ask for?! But I’d have to say (1993’s) Strange Highways was probably my favorite to record; I’d say I was definitely more involved with that one over the others, and truly captured where the band was at at the time the most.”
Last but not least, I had to ask about his involvement with the 2001 Mark Wahlberg film Rock Star (one of my personal favorites), where he played the part of Jorgen in the fictional band Steel Dragon. He informed me; “Well, I was already involved with working on the music for the film at the time, so it seemed only a natural fit to play in the band on screen. I still had to audition for the role like anyone else, but I must’ve done something right…though I’m still not holding my breath for Hollywood to knock down my door again to this day” (Laughs).
Ever since I first laid my then-young eyes back in the day on the likes of Lita Ford, Susana Hoffs, and Joan Jett (among many others), I’ve always had a weakness for attractive female rockers (my wife will attest to this). But when that female rocker holding the guitar is more than just eye candy and actually knows how to rock at the same time, it makes it all the better.
Such is the case with Australia’s Cassidy Paris, a young singer and guitarist filled with as much talent and grace as she has looks. On her debut album, New Sensation, she sings her heart out with enough power to hang with the rest of ’em.
That’s abundantly clear as soon as “Danger” and “Rock ‘n’ Roll Hearts” kick off the eleven-song album. Some tracks do teeter on the brink of more LeAnn Rimes-esque (“Here I Am” comes to mind), but overall, it’s a fairly solid – albeit not perfect – effort, with “Midnight Desire” ending things as the perfect night cap with an almost familiar ’80s influenced sound to it.
Paris no doubt plays it safe on her first full-length release, but it’s a fairly harmless affair in the grand scheme of things.
The moment “You Betray” kicks Black Diamonds – the latest from ’80s hard rockers L.A. Guns – into high gear, it’s apparent the guys have still got plenty left in them, and more than plenty to prove here.
Said intro track instantly brought me back to another album opener, “Face Down” from the band’s 1994 Vicious Cycle record (which ironically was my “true” introduction to the band all those years ago). This is followed up with “Wrong About You,” which features mammoth lead-off guitar riffs from Tracii Guns and Ace Von Johnson that seem primed for cruising the strip on a Saturday night.
“Diamonds” shows the band’s abilities to still maintain a softer side, while “Shattered Glass,” “Gonna Lose,” and “Like a Drug” all echo respective ’70s punk and/or Led Zepplin vibes. Sure there’s some clunkers (see; “Shame”), but that’s to be expected. Overall, this is worthy of putting alongside any of the band’s classic material; shame indeed it will likely fall under the radar like most “new” music from its era does.
