THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Day: March 25, 2024 (Page 1 of 2)

D’LUNA – Monster

March 25, 2024 /

Yet another album featuring the hardest working man in show biz… Mr. Jeff Scott Soto.

I think this album existed but not in this form before escape picked it up and hyphenated the name and all the major players were added. Escape Music are beefing up the hard rocking element to the label as of late, and this is another quality addition to the label.

D’Luna are the baby of guitarist Dave Deluna who comes from the groove metal capital of Texas. Whoever’s idea it was to get Jeff on board deserves a medal, because this type of groovin’ hard rock/metal is Jeff’s forte. I love the heavy drop tune guitar riffage and Mr. Deluna is one hell of a player.

The band have a unique sound and the guest vocal of Doug Pinnick joining Jeff on the ripping title and opening track, Monster, is inspired. The whole album is a heavier version of KingsX. The first five Kings X albums are must haves in anyone’s collection, so it’s great to hear a band coming out with some fresh heavy sounds along those lines.

If you read a lot of my reviews then you will know that I’m a sucker for huge heavy guitars, and this has them all over, but not at the expense of destroying the melody and groove. Every song is a just so good. Monster is a killer way to open the album as that heavy riff just grabs you by the throat and Jeff and Doug’s vocals are superb. Zombie is very similar, that heavy guitar is just wonderful and I adore the harmonies.

My favourite track is Believe In Me. A much slower, eerie, moody piece that has the goosebumps standing to attention. It’s got a killer vibe and is different to anything else on the album. You even get a hint of funk with the very groovy 123. I love it when a band mixes up the groove and vibe, making this sound so fresh. A close second for favourite tune is Blink Of An Eye, it’s got a huge, deep, heavy riff and that groove just swings beautifully.

We are only just into March and we have a contender for album of the year.

10/10 from The Grooveman.

OVERKILL – Scorched

March 25, 2024 /

Welcome to album number twenty from Overkill. With them consistently putting out quality records, Overkill should be up there with Metallica and Anthrax as pioneers of the genre. They are still delivering great thrash records, and this album testifies to that. In fact, this is up there with the best albums they have done.

The opener and title track just melts your face. It’s full of crunch, dynamics, and a cool groove change with an epic solo, it’s as though 40 years just disappeared. This is how it goes for the whole record. Man, these guys are on fire it’s tough to pick a favourite track but I will go for Twist Of The Wick which is a full on epic thrash monster that Metallica could not conjure up today. If someone came up to me today and said what is Thrash, I would put that track on. It’s an absolute belter with lots of time changes to give the old neck a rest.

Well done Overkill, a nailed on 10/10 from the Grooveman.

GREAT KING RAT – S/T

March 25, 2024 /

Now, this is a very classy kick-ass rock record. Anything rock that came out of Sweden at this time was just so good. This album was released back in ’91 and was their debut. One more album appeared in ’99 and that was it until a reunion in 2017. The members have gone on to appear in numerous Swedish bands since, from Talisman To Hammerfall.

Bright Lights opens up the album and what a belter of a tune it is. It’s got a killer riff and groove, and I love Leif Sundins vocals. Good Times carries on that groove and vibe with some great playing from Pontus Norgren on the geetar. Woman In Love has that heavy funk groove that Aerosmith do so well. I love the middle section! Ball And Chain is a straight up four to floor groover and that hook and chorus is huge. Take Me Back is a power ballad that would put Brian Adams to shame.

Follow The Rains kicks off Side 2 with a killer heavy blues groove, some tasty slide, and a HUGE hook and chorus. The blues gets way down and dirtier on One By One, especially with that traditional intro and it’s gets my vote for favourite tune. Such a great song with a monster hook and chorus! Dirty Old Man Stomp is a beefed up and riffed up Faces-style rocker with a very cool middle eight. Calling For My Angel is a return to that dirty funk blues groove that they do soooo well. The album closes out with Top Of The World, the nearest this band got to a commercial tune. Play this once and you will be singing that hook and chorus all the time.

A killer album by a great band that should have been a huge… that’s if anyone outside of Sweden paid any attention.

9.5/10 from The Grooveman.

BONFIRE – Knock Out

March 25, 2024 /

Album number four for the ever solid German rockers, Bonfire. Whereas most bands of this ilk disappeared with the great grunge unpleasantness, Bonfire have carried on consistently releasing quality albums right up until 2020’s Fistful Of Fire.

The album is all original compositions, apart from a cover of Billy Squier’s massive hit The Stroke, which I’m guessing was chosen because Mack produced both records. Now, with a song that huge you either have to do something out of the box and original or just don’t bother, and basically this is a note for note copy, but not as good. The middle section is okay with the heavy chords and maybe that’s what they should have done with the rest of the song, to beef it up a bit.

Frankly, their own songs are more than adequate and the having a good time vibe is what they are good at. Dirty Love is a fun rocker tune with a great groove and huge vocal harmonies. Shake Down is another tune with the same vibe and groove. and it is just a great rock song. Side 2 opener Hold You is a fun track. That Def Leppard vibe works really well and you could argue that Mack is using that Stroke beat and groove again here. When they rock out they are a really great band and Down And Out does just that, it’s my favourite track on the album.

A very underrated band that deserve more credit than they get.

8.5/10 from The Grooveman.

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