by Joe Mis
– Sr. Columnist —
Melody & Madness is the new dynamic 6 song EP from the multi-talented duo of Phil Vincent and Vince O’Regan. Despite being only a duo, this pair continues to put out solid music that would shame most five piece acts. As is their prior releases, Vincent & O’Regan continue to make melodic Hard Rock/Metal influenced by some of the greatest bands of the 1980’s and 1990’s – most obviously Dokken and Winger.
Fans of Phil Vincent or any of his bands (Legion, Tragik, Circular Logic, D’Ercole) will be please with the six sweet tracks on Melody & Madness. As usual, Phil does a masterful job with all vocals, lead and backing. Vince really gets to shine as a full multi-instrumentalist, handling everything from keys to bass to drums, along with his trademark blistering guitars. The pair also share the songwriting and production credits, making this a true two man effort.
“Lost Forever” opens the album in fine form with O’Regan’s hot guitars and Vincent’s neatly layered vocals. This upbeat rocker will instantly bring some of Kip Winger’s best to mind, but it is fully a Vincent / O’Regan event. While the opener is built around the guitar, “Living For The Moment” is all about the drums and bass – proving that O’Regan’s chops extend to things that aren’t limited to 6 strings. “Shooting Star” is full of big hooks and catchy riffs – a tune that would have been right at home in the glory days of hair metal. “Altered States” is a moodier slow rocker, one of the stronger tracks thanks to strong layered vocals and superb lead and rhythm guitars. “Can’t Stop Thinking About You” is a gritty modern rocker with a sweeping chorus and intense rhythm guitars. The EP wraps with the upbeat, punchy “Masquerade”
Despite the limited number of tracks on Melody & Madness there is a lot to like. Vincent and O’Regan are strong songwriters and release well done tunes even though their output across multiple bands is significant. Their production skills are also improved, making this arguably the best sounding release in Phil’s ever growing catalog.
Fans of any of the Phil Vincent bands will enjoy Melody & Madness without a doubt, as will fans of Melodic Metal. Once again, Phil Vincent proves that he has an inexhaustible supply of creative energy, and continues to pump out music without falling into an artistic rut. Vince O’Regan shows that he can be the proverbial “one-man band,” handling everything from keys to guitars to drums without dropping a note. Put these two talents together and you have a winning team.
Genre: Melodic Hard Rock
Band:
Phil Vincent (all vocals)
Vince O’Regan (all instruments)
Track Listing:
1. Lost Forever
2. Living For The Moment
3. Shooting Star
4. Altered State (Look At Me Now)
5. Can’t Stop Thinking About You
6. Masquerade
Label: Phil Vincent Music
Website: www.philvincentbands.com
Hardrock Haven rating: 8.5/10
