This was the band’s first release on the independent label, Grand Slamm Records, back in ’85 after having signed to Elektra Records who refused to release the album. Who knows why that decision was made? After the release, the band toured it to death and they were snapped up by Atlantic who released the Pride album – and we all know how huge that album turned out to be.
The first two tracks are pretty straight forward killer melodic rock songs with typical big hooks and catchy chorus’, but track three (the title track) starts with a very Van Halen/Randy Rhodes style guitar intro and sound. Absolute killer guitar from Vito Bratta! You think he would be huge and a household name right? But no, he gave it all up and hasn’t played guitar for years – totally disillusioned with the music business. Frankly I would have bought the album just for this track. In fact, it’s Bratta that makes the album for me as on tracks like In The City, Kid Of 1000 Face, and El Salvador, his guitar tone and sound are epic. There is plenty to keep the glam brigade happy as well with stomper tracks like All The Fallen Men.
I’m not the biggest Mike Tramp fan as that strained vocal tone doesn’t do it for me but this is still a good first album.
9/10 from The Grooveman.
