Sandra Dee | Visions of Pain

by Nikiforos Skoumas
Staff Writer

Issued by Eonian records is Visions of Pain, the album by glam/sleaze metal band Sandra Dee. The group entered the hair metal scene in the late ’80s and was active during the period 1989-1992 at which point they recorded the collection of songs titled Visions of Pain. It is refreshing to hear that Sandra Dee is substantially differentiated from the stereotypical approach of late ‘80s glam bands.

Imagine the protestant attitude, the grooves and the vocals of Warrior Soul mixed with the melodies, production and technical lead guitars of groups like Nitro and Vinnie Vincent Invasion and you have a rather accurate picture of what Sandra Dee stood for. From the album title and song names it becomes clear that the group never set out for commercial stardom.

Through drawing elements from the grunge style, which was already catching up at the time, Sandra Dee are far too technically accomplished to be labelled a grunge band. Lead singer Lance Thomason may choose to emulate Kory Clarke on his approach but he does uncover his melodic capabilities during the choruses coming rather close to Michael Matijevic which is quite a feat. The guitarists Gino Buonamici and Jason Bowman indeed hold nothing back on their solos throwing in twin guitar melodies, insane vibratos and copious amounts of shredding in Vinnie Vincent Style. Their rhythm performance is also well crafted-though most riffs are groovy and loud, their precise execution sets them apart from Grunge.

On the other hand, the rhythm section of Geoff Matson and Erik Youmans follows the Warrior Soul paradigm to the letter with a rather loud tempo and even louder cymbal sounds in the mix which adds an all-the-more ’90s groove to Sandra Dee. It has to be addressed that for any old-school hair metal fan, the rhythm section of Sandra Dee can grow tiring and to a certain extent undermine the overall experience as one could argue that glam metal and grunge do not mix, despite their valiant efforts to balancing the two genres.

Overall Visions of Pain turned out to be quite the intriguing musical experience, possibly standing as the missing link between hair metal and grunge (if such could ever exist). For rock/metal fans who enjoy being challenged in the musical arena, Visions of Pain is an ideal proposition. Sandra Dee to a certain extent should also appeal to fans of technical hair metal such as Nitro and Vinnie Vincent Invasion. It is very likely however that the average hair metal/ melodic rock/AOR fan would probably struggle to come to terms with the conclusive style of Sandra Dee.

Genre: Experimental Hair Metal

Label: http://www.eonianrecords.com/

Band:
Lance Thomason – Lead Vocals
Chris Kamyowski – Lead Vocals
Gino Buonamici – Lead Guitar, Backing Vocals
Jason Bowman – Lead Guitar, Backing Vocals
Geoff Matson – Bass
Erik Youmans – Drums
Nicky Bernardi – Drums

Track Listing:
01. Pretty Child
02. Cassandra
03. Take You Higher
04. Heading Home
05. Peace, Pot & Politics
06. Going Down
07. Inside Yourself
08. Visions of Pain
09. Cold
10. Nothing

Hardrock Haven rating: 7/10

TNA | TNA CD Review

by Nikiforos Skoumas
Staff Writer

Issued by Eonian Records, TNA, is the self titled album of the Memphis Tennessee sleaze metal act. Those familiar with Eonian Records, have probably come to realize that the firm is the market leader in the niche they have shaped; that is recovering and releasing works of hair metal acts that never saw the light of day back in the ’80s.

TNA is indeed amongst those bands that did not enjoy a major album release during their active years. Baring in mind the professional-sounding production (by late ‘80s standards), one could speculate that TNA were just a breath away from being signed and perhaps enjoy a major release. Clearly the twelve songs offered here are not demo material, perfectly complying with the quality standards of a hair metal hit album. One can expect, up-front drumming sustained to perfection, a thick guitar sound that applies to both clean and distorted guitar parts all complemented by discrete bass lines, in addition keyboards are absent on the self-titled release, relying strictly on the guitar-bass-drum-vocals foundation.

In terms of artistic direction TNA could be labelled as sleaze metal on account their vocalist alone. Jeffrey Harr’s voice is practically identical to that of Motley Crue front man Vince Neil. And though some of the opening riffs make direct reference to the kings of Sleaze metal, the song writing of TNA does not draw on melodic rock or metal. Instead TNA take the classic rock n’ roll sound, inducing a fair amount of blues licks while sleazing-up the whole package to meet the music standards of the time. Indeed most of the songs on TNA are groovy, attitude-filled rockers, a point proven by the song-titles alone, “All Nite Long,” “Bump & Grind” and “Dirty Love” all totally representative of the musical identity of TNA.

On the other hand one finds certain songs on this 12-track collection deviating from the paradigm presented above: “Hard Way” sounds very much like early ‘80s Van Halen with all the Roth-ish swagger and sing-along chorus. “It’s Over” is probably TNA’s most melodic moment, a ballad full of substance that could have easily come out of an XYZ album. “Take a Walk” is the fast-paced slickly-sung power-rocker in the style of Extreme and MR. Big.

Overall TNA is addressed to fans of glam/sleaze metal emphasizing the nostalgic aspect, therefore one has to be a fan of the genre and the particular era to make the most out of this release. Though not quite at the level of the renowned bands of the genre mentioned above, TNA indeed demonstrate a musical personality of their own while delivering a fair amount of enjoyable songs.

Genre: Hard Rock / 80s Hair Metal

Label: http://www.eonianrecords.com/

Band:
1st lineup: Wayne Swinny (g), Eddie Matlock (d), Jeffrey Harr (v), Michael Gumm (b)
2nd lineup: Eddie Matlock (d), Jeffrey Harr (v), Eric Lewis (g), Kelly McDonald (b), Randi-Mike Field (b)

Track List :
1. All Nite Long
2. Bump & Grind
3. Dirty Love
4. Don’t Fade Away
5. Don’t Look Back
6. Hard Way
7. I’m Already Gone
8. It’s Over
9. Just Another Day
10. It Don’t Come Easy
11. Take A Walk
12. You Cried Wolf

Hardrock Haven rating: 6.5/10

Charlotte Medusa Groove

by Justin Gaines
Staff Writer

Just when you think you’ve heard every band in a particular scene, some reissue label manages to dig up a band you never knew existed. Sometimes the bands in question should have been left uncovered, and other times the band is so good you marvel at how they never managed to score a proper record deal when they should have been lighting up the airwaves. Los Angeles based rockers Charlotte are a prime example of the latter category. Here was a band with a tremendous amount of talent and energy, and unless you caught them opening for higher profile bands on the Sunset Strip back in the day, you probably have never heard of them before now. Fortunately the good folks at Eonian Records, who are fast making a name for themselves as a high quality reissue label, have collected the available Charlotte recordings for the first time with the collection Medusa Groove.

Charlotte wasn’t your typical Sunset Strip hair band (though they certainly looked the part). You still immediately recognize the ‘80s rock sound, but there’s a real groove to these songs; a heart and soul that the average lipstick and spandex band knew nothing about. The songs on Medusa Groove have plenty of huge guitar hooks and are highly melodic, but there’s also plenty of swing and swagger, particularly in the rhythms. It also helps that the lyrics – ably delivered by powerhouse vocalist Eric Ganz – are a little deeper than the typical booze, sex and party anthems (though they have those too). You hear these songs and have to wonder how a band like Charlotte could flounder when the likes of Pretty Boy Floyd and Faster Pussycat were riding high.

The sound quality of these recordings is pretty impressive. They were demos recorded between 1988 and 1992, but given a fresh digital remastering in 2009. In addition to the remastered audio, the liner notes include photos and a band history. It’s an impressive collection all around.

If you were a hair metal fan back in the day, and still carry a torch for the Sunset Strip glory days, Medusa Groove is well worth checking out. If you’re a fan of some of that era’s less stereotypical bands – think Enuff Znuff, Great White, Royal Court of China, Tangier and Electric-era Cult – this Charlotte collection is an absolutely essential reissue.

Genre: Hair Metal, Melodic Rock

Band:
Eric Ganz (v)
Nick DiBacco (g) (v)
Vinnie Cacciotti (g)
Chris Colovas (b) (v)
Eric Brewton (d) (v)

Track Listing:
1. Medusa Groove
2. Woman Behind the Eyes
3. Siren
4. Little Devils
5. Miss Necrophilia
6. She Get It Up
7. Got Love On the Line
8. Changes
9. Roadhouse of Love
10. Ocean of Love and Mercy
11. Invisible Man
12. All Tied Up

Label: Eonian

Website: www.myspace.com/charlottemusic

Hardrock Haven rating: 8/10

Legacy Legacy

by Joe Mis
Staff Writer

Eonian has done it again. They’ve managed to unearth another interesting but relatively unknown band from the hair metal days of the late 1980s. This time it is Legacy, a Columbus, Ohio based Christian metal quintet with a lot of talent and enthusiasm.

Legacy’s sound on this self-titled release is easily comparable to fellow Christian rockers Stryper and a number of more mainstream acts such as Winger and Dokken. Musically tight, they lay down some great high-energy guitar lines with punchy bass and pounding drums, and basically display all of the required “hair metal” characteristics. Vocalist Doug Meacham excels at hitting the high range, with an occasional screech thrown in just for fun. He is ably supported by the dynamite guitar work of Fred Blanchard and Matt Rice, both outstanding rhythm players (although some of their solos are a bit formulaic). John Rice and John Jenkins make a good team at the bottom end and help to tie all of the music together nicely. Their lyrics are a bit preachy, so if the idea of Christian metal turns you off it is probably best to skip this release.

The audio production is very good – these were obviously not quick and dirty demo recordings. The sound is balanced and clear throughout, and all aspects of Legacy’s music come though nicely. As is Eonian’s tradition, the CD itself is nicely supported by copious liner notes and slick artwork (although for some unexplained reason they decided to print the notes in white lettering on a mixed yellow/orange/red background making them a struggle to read).

“Salvation Is Law” opens the CD with some solid melodic guitars and lots of energy that carries through the balance of the CD. This one track highlights both the strengths and weaknesses of the band. The music is big and bold with great rhythm guitars, good vocals, solid bass and energetic drumming. At times however, Meacham’s vocals are difficult to understand without straining, and the guitar solo seems to be a “lets see how many guitar gimmicks we can stick in here” kind of thing. These flaws are easily forgivable as this was a young band just starting to get their act together. “It’s Real” is a full on rocker, again with great crunchy rhythm guitars and the best vocals on the disc, while “Cross The Line” features an incredibly aggressive rhythm line. Since this hair metal, “Forever In Your Arms” is the required power ballad/love song, while “Don’t Run Away” is an aggressive number based on the biblical “Prodigal Son” story and “Red, White And Blue” is a pro-USA arena rock anthem.

“Change Of A Broken Heart” is a nicely written Stryper-ish song about finding strength through faith with great harmony vocals at the start. Nice harmony guitar work opens the upbeat “Comin’ Along,” while “Soldiers Unite” plays on the somewhat hackneyed “Christian soldier” metaphor with pounding martial drums and a very George Lynch guitar line. “One Way Or The Other” continues to up the intensity, almost reaching power metal levels – about as heavy as these guys can get. “Live It” features some mellow pop metal riffs and nice vocals, while “What A World” is a sad social commentary. The energetic and heavy “Model Citizen” insists that one man can make a difference, while “Vision Of Perfection” wraps the disc with the best guitar solos on the album.

Legacy is a pleasant release, and any fan of the hair metal genre will enjoy it. The album will also appeal to guitar fans thanks to the complex and interesting rhythm lines and hooks of Legacy’s music. However, if you are offended or uncomfortable with overly religious lyrics, then look away lest ye be turned into a pillar of salt. While not as blatant or in-your-face as Stryper, there is no doubt whatsoever that this is a fully Christian metal band. If you look beyond the lyrics you will realize that Legacy is a solid band that could easily have earned commercial success and mainstream appeal back in the day.

Genre: Christian Metal

Band:
Doug Meacham (vocals)
John Jenkins (drums)
John Rice (bass)
Fred Blanchard, Matt Rice (guitars)

Track Listing:
1. Salvation Is Law
2. It’s Real
3. Cross The Line
4. Forever In Your Arms
5. Don’t Run Away
6. Red, White, And Blue
7. Change Of A Broken Heart
8. Comin’ Along
9. Soldiers Unite
10. One Way Or The Other
11. Live It
12. What A World
13. Model Citizen
14. Vision Of Perfection

Label: Eonian Records

Website: http://www.eonianrecords.com/b-legacy/legacy.html , http://www.myspace.com/legacycolumbus

Hardrock Haven rating: 7.5/10

Stg. Roxx Weapon of Miss Distraction

by Joe Mis
Staff Writer

Eonaian Records has developed quite a reputation when it comes to repackaging and releasing old gems or relatively unknown bands, and Weapon Of Miss Distraction by Chicago-based hair-metal rockers Sgt. Roxx is their latest find.

While there is nothing bad about any of the music on this 19-track, 119 minute disc, there is nothing very compelling or unusual about it either. Unlike many of Eonian’s prior releases, Sgt. Roxx doesn’t seem to be a groundbreaker or innovator, nor is it the debut of anyone who became a major player in the rock world – it is simply run-of-the-mill, routine glam/hair metal. On the plus side though, Eonian has done their usual remarkable job with the copious liner notes and details.

Weapon Of Miss Distraction covers all of Sgt. Roxx – from early demos through a full-EP and some live tracks, and every permutation of band personnel. Jack Adams does lead vocals on all tracks, as well as most of the songwriting duties. He has a decent and clear voice, but a limited range – not unusual for the genre and the time. Darrin Laszlo plays a competent and solid bass on all tracks, and Rob Briles was their full time lead & rhythm guitar player. Second guitar duties were shared by Bob O’Connor and Scott “Grover” Weatherspoon, and the drumsticks were handled by Kevin Cora, Scott Wilson or Gabriel “Gabie” Anthony.

Formed back in 1985 by Adams and Laszlo, Sgt. Roxx paid all their dues at the local clubs in the Midwest and East Coast, and then released their first EP Push N Squeeze in 1991. Musically they are pure glam/hair metal, with many obvious influences but no direct copies. Solid double guitars, driving rhythm lines and occasionally sleazy lyrics make for a typical late-80s or early-90s experience. Tracks 1 through 5 are the much sought after initial EP, while the balance of tracks are later demos and live recordings. Tracks 6 to 10 were done in 1994, and 11 to 16 jump back to 1992. Tracks 17 and 18 are live 1994 recordings from Chicago’s Gateway Theater, and the final track is another studio track from 1994. After pushing on thought the early 90s, the Sarge was simply overwhelmed by the grunge/alternative scene and faded away.

“Movin’ On” has some nice acoustic guitars brilliant leads and fills, and stands a little apart from some of their other tracks. “Push & Squeeze” has a great driving bass and drum line and features a very solid guitar solo. “Wrap Yourself” is probably the closest Sgt. Roxx came to a catchy chorused “arena rocker”, while “Don’t Cry” is the required ballad. “Decisions” and “Alright” have a more blues rock groove, and “Rockin’ Horse” is almost pure old school blues-rock, and probably the best track on the disc. However too many tracks have too similar a sound, and it becomes difficult to tell one from the next, so the album as a whole becomes a bit tedious.

The production and engineering are very good considering the age of the recordings – another Eonian trademark. The live tracks add a nice element to the album, and really allow the enthusiasm of the band members to show, making it fairly easy to understand why these guys built up a loyal fan base.

All in all, Weapon Of Miss Distraction will only appeal to fans of the band or those deep into the glam/hair metal genres. For the casual listener, too many of the tracks sound alike. For the rock music historian or even a serious music fan, there is nothing compelling or overly interesting about Sgt. Roxx or its personnel to warrant a purchase. However, if you love the genre or have fond memories of the early 1990’ Chitown metal scene then by all means give it a spin. There is some good music here, but the band as a whole is not up to Eoanian’s usual standards. Perhaps these Roxx should have stayed buried…

Label: Eonian Records

Web: http://www.eonianrecords.com/b-sgtroxx/sgtroxx.html , http://www.myspace.com/sgtroxx

Track Listing:

01. All You Need
02. Why’d You Lie
03. Movin’ On
04. Push & Squeeze
05. Million Dollar Girls
06. Wrap Yourself
07. Don’t Cry
08. Decisions
09. Alright
10. Rockin’ Horse
11. Love Affair
12. Without You
13. Thinkin’ Of You
14. Ransom
15. (Don’t Do) What Your Mama Sayz
16. I Don’t Know
17. Psycho In The House (Live)
18. My Lady (Live)
19. Bread & Water

HRH Rating: 6/10

Dr. Grind Speechless

by trevor Portz
Staff Writer

The last few years have seen a boom in the reissue market. New labels seem to constantly pop-up, re-releasing what they consider to be “classic” metal albums that have often been out of print and hard to find for years. Sometimes this is a justifiable and welcomed act—Rock Candy Records, for instance, has done fantastic pressings of albums—from Armored Saint to Montrose—replete with bonus tracks and detailed liner notes. But for each worthwhile release, many classic albums remain in availability limbo (Sweet Pain’s 1985 LP for instance), and many more are released for seemingly no reason at all. Dr. Grind’s Speechless happens to fall in the latter category, not because it is inherently bad, but because it seems to be aimed at a very tiny segment of the rock underground, that being the one that appreciates dated-even-at-the-time-it-was-recorded hair metal from a long-forgotten band.

The 17 tracks that comprise Speechless span several sessions recorded in Seattle during the early nineties. What instantly jumps out about the songs is the retro sound they carry; not just retro by today’s standards, but even in their own time. By 1992, hair metal had gone the way of leg warmers and tight-rolled jeans, giving way to the radio-dominating grunge movement. Though considered a great tragedy to those loyal to the hair genre, this also put an end to the ever-growing pool of label-created, second-rate, pseudo-metal bands that seemed to be doing little more than damning the style to a state of societal mockery. Dr. Grind’s music exemplifies the need for the change that came, as it comes off as barely heavy music written expressly to appeal to the homogenized metal-buying culture of the day. Sure, the playing is fine and the songs are reasonably solid, though each song appears to be little more than a poor clone of something previously successful, but already long past its due date.

Opening track “Call of the Wild” (bearing no relation to Circus of Power’s excellent song of the same name) is hair metal paint-by-numbers, and with its way-too-buried background vocals and oddly out-of-time tambourine, the only redeeming quality is the groove swiped almost directly from “Dr. Feelgood.” “Livin’ a Lie” and “Gone” are reasonable attempts at writing Queensryche songs, but both lack the progressive brilliance of Geoff Tate and the gang. Insipidly “inspiring and sentimental” tracks “Follow Your Own Road” and “Faces” are halfway-decent poppy rock songs, but even with their similarities to the vastly superior, yet little-known Skid Row track “Forever,” they just don’t pack the necessary punch to be truly memorable.

A very strange trend that dominates many of the lyrics on the album is the attempt at dealing with “serious,” or perhaps “universal” issues. Unfortunately, though, most of them are so strange and unrelatable that they come off rather silly and awkward. Title track “Speechless” details drummer Dave McCabe’s regretful encounter with a little deaf girl, but the message is diminished by obvious lyrics and the realization that the worst thing he did was refuse to buy candy from her. The way the track is discussed in the liner notes would lead you to believe he had thrown her down the stairs or stolen her toys. Not so much. Following track “Janie” follows a similar pattern and talks about a man with a disabled child, and his difficulty coming to terms with her disability. Though obviously a tragically feasible scenario, it is such bizarre lyrical fodder that little can be internalized by the listener.

Towards the end of the album things do pick up a bit, with the Judas Priest-lite “Here and Gone,” the actual heaviness of “Can’t Get Enough,” and the entertaining “Whiskey Lover” giving a hint that perhaps Dr. Grind could have grown into a respectable band if they had been able to break through the commercial ceiling. But alas, these moments of promise come too little to late and are unable to save the album from its overall “powerless metal” vibe.

Whether Dr. Grind would ever have achieved any commercial success will forever remain a mystery. Had they been around 7 or 8 years earlier they may have stood a chance, but by the time they entered the scene, things had changed too drastically, and their brand of castrated metal had gone out of fashion. This reissue stands as a testament to why hair metal fell to the filthy hand of grunge, and though a nice treat for friends and fans of the band, Speechless will likely fall into obscurity as fast as slap wraps and bug shields.

Label: Eonian Records
Web: www.myspace.com/officialdrgrindpage

Band Lineup:
Rick Allen (vocals)
Tom Moore (guitars)
John Tippins (guitars)
Danny Dally (bass)
Dave McCabe (drums)

Tracks:
1. Call Of The Wild
2. Calamity
3. Livin’ A Lie
4. Shotgun
5. Speechless
6. Speechless
7. Follow Your Own Road
8. Faces
9. Tears
10. Love Will Find A Way
11. Gone
12. Here And Gone
13. Something To Come
14. Time Will Tell
15. Can’t Get Enough
16. Huge Wad
17. Whiskey Lover

Hardrock Haven rating: 3.8/10

UZI Madhouse

by Keith Schwier
Staff Writer

Spinning Madhouse by Chicago rockers UZI is akin to stepping in a time machine and taking a trip back to the halcyon days of the mid-1980s where the rock was slick and the overriding attitude was “party hard.” We all remember the times when the hair was big and the sing-along choruses were bigger. A band didn’t have anything if they weren’t sporting a ridiculous fashion statement while carrying a slew of good metal hooks in their back pocket as reinforcement. Numerous bands of the era weren’t so much metal as they were AOR-tinged rock, almost a kind of neutered metal that strove for a catchy chorus blanketed in loud guitars and glossy production values, creating a sound that came off more wild and nasty than it really was.

Was this Chicago gang of big hair and oozing attitude ever a household name? The answer is no, because the band never graduated out of the underground scene into the bright spotlights of hair spray superstardom. Groups of that era were essentially copying one other in a mad dash to get signed, and UZI became one of the musical rejects stranded on the wayside. Still, the tunes presented on this album, which is essentially a hodgepodge of recordings the band laid down during their time together from 1987-1992, is delivered with enough Ratt meets Faster Pussycat conviction that you forget about its shortcomings and simply smile at the absurdity of it all.

You can even hear the band start to adapt (or grudgingly accept, depending on point of view) to the changes in musical climate that arrived by the early ’90s. Songs like 1991’s “Wreckerd Man” come blasting through the stereo with a little more thump and heaviness, similar to how Skid Row evolved their sound on the band’s second release in 1991, Slave to the Grind.

The production values on Madhouse vary in quality, with the biggest casualty being the drum sounds, suffering from a thin treble-ish quality on tracks such as “Mutha’s Knockin’” and “Do What I Do.” Conversely, “For the Money,” “From the Gutter,” and the obligatory power ballad “Away From My Heart” benefit from a more beefed up sound in the rhythm section. This creates a lack of cohesion in the overall sound presentation but doesn’t become distracting enough that it takes away from the overall listening experience.

Guitars consistently scream out of the speakers, with Gary Vail’s nimble-fingered fretwork setting the stage early on in the opening title track. He unloads a blitzkrieg of fast runs, piercing harmonics, and playful squeals all within the span of a twenty-five second guitar solo. Unfortunately, the riffs that create the backbones of the songs are fairly second-rate and never rise above mediocrity, leaving guitar enthusiasts to gravitate more towards the lead work than anything else. Gary ’s counterpart, Nicholas Flynt, who serves as lead vocalist and chief songwriter, has enough rasp and range that his voice suits the material fine, but he never comes off as especially dark or menacing, even if his delivery is reminiscent in spots of Sebastian Bach or Axl Rose.

Upon final inspection, Madhouse presents a few good hooks and some nice ’80’s guitar work all around. Most of the songs have something going for them, with the only real stinker being the silly “Raise Hell.” Lyrically, the band tackles subjects ranging from “selling out,” to “loss of innocence,” to living by the motto “all or nothing.” Frankly, many of the lyrics deal with the struggle to nurture one’s creativity while up against a more oppressive force whose mission is to make you conform. UZI certainly weren’t about liquor and babes all the time. Sound quality isn’t the greatest in spots so certain tracks sound like they were recorded in a garage, while others have a fairly professional sheen. This was a band that loved to write anthem-style material, but aimed to put the goodtime fun in a blender with the dirty, guttural riffing Slash made famous on Appetite for Destruction.

Ultimately, it comes across as mildly fun disposable rock, bringing on a slightly embarrassing cringe once or twice, but it’s nothing all that memorable. Still, almost 20 years later, it’s nice to see the band gather up their best tunes and release them so that fans of the genre can hear from a group that faded into obscurity without ever receiving their big break.

Label: Eonian Records

Track Listing:
1. Madhouse
2. American Dream
3. Mutha’s Knockin’
4. Rocker
5. Do What I Do
6. Away From My Heart
7. Raise Hell
8. From The Gutter
9. Wreckerd Man
10. For The Money

Hardrock Haven rating: 4/10

Felony Helltown Hotel

by Joe Mis
Staff Writer

Helltown Hotel is a blast from the past. Eonian Records has released a fine retrospective look at Felony, of the many great bands that had a brief moment of fame in the late ’80s/early ’90s.

Felony was formed in 1989 in Indianapolis and quickly became a force in the local rock scene. Relying more on their musical abilities rather than a glam image or other gimmick, they quickly made a name for themselves and hit the rock circuit doing gigs and playing all the well-known clubs across the country. Felony’s original lineup was a solid one: Tommy Lee Lords (vocals), Dale O’Brien (guitars), Shawn Nugent (bass) and Johnny Hustler (drums). This quartet was musically very strong, and their early tracks were straight up simple “roots” metal. After putting together a 4-song demo EP, bassist Nugent left the band and was replaced by Rich Grillo. The band recorded two more “heavier” tracks and added them to the EP. A short while later guitarist O’Brien withdrew from the band to deal with personal issues, and Felony disbanded. After a break, Felony resurfaced with new guitarists Michael Smiley and Jeffrey Parker. New songs were written, gigs were played, but as happened to many bands the rise of the grunge sound pretty much wiped them out and the group disbanded for good.

The history of Felony, while not an uncommon story for a rock band in the “grunge” days, is a shame. These guys had all the chops, talent and tools needed to be a huge success. Tommy Lords has a solid and gritty voice, perfect for the hard rocking style the band developed. O’Brien and the duo of Smiley and Parker were fine guitarists, laying down simple and catchy rhythm lines and blistering solos that would have easily put all three in the pantheon of ’80s/’90s guitar greats. The guys in the rhythm section were excellent players as well, far beyond the bland musical timekeepers that so many modern bands use. Nugent plays a great bouncy and aggressive bass, and actually PLAYS the instrument, not just plunking along as an offshoot of the drums. Hustler had a great feel for the drums, knowing just how to control the intensity and pace without dominating the music. Lyrically the band is fairly run-of-the-mill rock, somewhat inspired by their school of hard knocks lifestyle with a healthy dose of Chicago gangster (the Al Capone type) thrown in. The songs are all heavy and energetic – not a ballad or tearjerker in the bunch.

Some of the musical highlights are: the great rhythm line, wild solo and gurgling bass on “Dancin’ On My Grave”; the solid vocals and guitar work on “Heist In Helltown” (particularly the ’93 version); the cool and heavy bass and drum work on “Street Fight”; all of “Well Of Souls”; and the demo of “Mississippi Rollin’.”

The production and engineering quality is very good for the time – even the one live track sounds clear – and all of the instruments and vocals are nicely balanced. Only the final two demo tracks have any muddiness about them, and that is understandable for demos. The stylistic differences as the band evolved are very interesting – and probably the best aspect of these “classic” releases by Eonian. As usual, the songs are grouped by band configuration – the first four tracks are the original EP, five through 13 are with the band’s final lineup, track 14 is a live recording, and the final two songs are the demos done with Grillo.

All in all, Felony had all tools to be a hugely popular band, and could have been one of the biggest, perhaps rivaling Motley Crue, Poison or Warrant. Unfortunately it just wasn’t in the cards thanks to the demons of bad timing. Eonian has done a nice job packaging the various Felony tracks together into a cohesive whole, and provided their usual copious liners note recapping the history of the band. Fans of early 90s metal or hard rock will enjoy their stay in Helltown Hotel. Highly recommended!

Label: Eonian Records

Web: http://www.eonianrecords.com/b-felony/felony.html , www.myspace.com/helltownhotel

Track Listing:
01 – Cat Daddy
02 – Dancin’ On My Grave
03 – Heist In Helltown
04 – Street Fight
05 – Well Of Souls
06 – To The Core
07 – Lost In The Closet
08 – Yank That Chain
09 – Days Of Disease
10 – Another Hero
11 – F.I.T.H.
12 – Shake The Faith
13 – Heist In Helltown ’93
14 – Heist In Helltown (Live)
15 – Mississippi Rollin’
16 – Shattered Innocence

HRH Rating: 8.5/10

High Noon No Turning Back

by Joe Mis
Staff Writer

No Turning Back is an interesting chronological presentation of the veteran West Coast club band High Noon. Most of the recordings on this album were pulled from the band’s demos and the album as a whole paints an interesting picture of the evolution of a rock band.

High Noon was formed in 1989 by Ken Hitsman (guitar) and Sam Persons (bass). These two native Californians added New Jersey born drummer Mike Patterson and New York born vocalist Jim Zappa and hit the Southern California club scene in mid-1989. High Noon spent most of their time playing the usual Sunset Strip clubs (Gazzarri’s, The Whiskey, The Roxy, the Troubadour, etc.). They bounced all over the West Coast supporting a number of major acts until 1993, but were unable to land a record deal with their first demo.

The band hooked up with Great White’s Michael Lardie and later with veteran producer Michael Wagener to record and mix a second demo, which didn’t land them a record deal either. They did get some airplay though, and one of their songs, “Have My Heart”, landed in the top 10 in Belgium. Jaime Harris replaced original drummer Patterson in 1992, but the rise of the Seattle grunge scene drove High Noon out of the music business in 1993 – the same sad fate shared by many decent bands.

The CD opens with “High Noon” and “Bad Moon Risin,’” two songs recorded on an 8-track tape machine back in 1989. The sound is obviously degraded and thin, but not bad overall. You can feel the raw enthusiasm of the band, but Jim Zappa pushes his voice a bit out of his range and overreaches – particularly in “Bad Moon Risin.’” These tracks are about what you’d expect from a newly formed rock band, but you can hear the underlying talent.

“Rude Boy” and “Don’t Come Running” were recorded in a real studio and mixed by Michael Lardie. “Rude Boy” is really cheesy ‘80s/’90s “happy rock” but it has some nice guitar work. “Don’t Come Running” is a snappy blues rock tune with good musicianship all around. Michael Wagener pitched in on the next four tracks. “Have My Heart” is a great song, stylistically almost “Dokken-esque”.

“Skatin’ On Thin Ice” opens with a great riff but falls back into the bouncy “happy rock” category, albeit with solid guitars throughout. “When The Night Calls” and “Just Like A Woman” are solid bluesy groove numbers that sound like a mix of Great White and Dokken (not surprising considering the gentlemen behind the mixing board).

The next three tracks were recorded in the band’s rehearsal studio with decent equipment. “Who Do You Think You Are?” is another upbeat bluesy Dokken style song. “Around Midnight” and “Faith Hope And Love” have a touch of GNR attitude and swagger (and great guitars).

The remaining songs on the album are a bit different, almost experimental. New drummer Jaime Harris stepped in for “Bed Of Lies” and “Weight Of The World.” These two are really good blues rock tunes with outstanding guitar work – the latter being one of the strongest on the disc with lyrics still relevant today. Zappa and Hitsman recorded “House Of Glass” on an early home computer setup – only the synthetic-sounding drums spoil what is otherwise a solid song.

What really sets this album apart is not so much the music, but the chronological development of the band. Zappa has a great voice and Hitsman a fabulous guitar player. Persons, Patterson and Harris seem to be good musicians as well, but there is not a track on the disc that highlights their skills particularly well. Had the timing been different these guys might have made it big, but for now this album is a pleasant window to the past. Fans of late ‘80s or early ‘90s radio-friendly rock will enjoy No Turning Back.

Label: Eonian Records

Web: http://www.eonianrecords.com/b-highnoon/highnoon.html
http://www.myspace.com/highnoonrocks

Track Listing:
01. High Noon
02. Bad Moon Risin’
03. Rude Boy
04. Don’t Come Running
05. Have My Heart
06. Skatin’ On Thin Ice
07. When The Night Calls
08. Just Like A Woman
09. Who Do You Think You Are?
10. Around Midnight
11. Faith Hope And Love
12. Bed Of Lies
13. Weight Of The World
14. House Of Glass

HRH Rating: 8/10