{"id":46501,"date":"2014-10-26T09:01:40","date_gmt":"2014-10-26T14:01:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/hardrockhaven.net\/online\/?p=46501"},"modified":"2014-10-26T09:01:40","modified_gmt":"2014-10-26T14:01:40","slug":"american-mafia-rock-n-roll-hit-machine-cd-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hardrockhaven.net\/online\/2014\/american-mafia-rock-n-roll-hit-machine-cd-review\/","title":{"rendered":"American Mafia | Rock n\u2019 Roll Hit Machine<\/em>"},"content":{"rendered":"

by Derric Miller<\/span>
\n– Managing Editor —<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"AmericanMaking the best of a tragic situation is oftentimes impossible; why even bother reliving the moments of utter darkness when you can just walk away and hopefully put it behind you? That was the question guitarist Tom Jude and bassist Freddy Villano had to answer when they were working on their band Holy Water\u2019s new studio album and lead singer and friend David Knight committed suicide. Think about the ramifications \u2026 did they really want to have another voice on the songs they wrote with Knight, and with Knight\u2019s voice in mind? <\/p>\n

Instead of letting that darkness win, the gents enlisted a who\u2019s who of current Rock vocalists, changed the name of the band to American Mafia, and created a stellar slice of Classic Rock that feels both familiar and refreshingly new. <\/p>\n

Right out of the gates is \u201cObsession,\u201d with vocalist Ed Terry (Rondinelli\/Rage & Beyond) at the helm. It\u2019s a slammin\u2019, groovy Rock composition, harkening back to heavier end of the \u201870s. Villano\u2019s bass talent is obvious and powerfully intricate, and makes you want to move. It\u2019s a cool intro to American Mafia.<\/p>\n

Those of you who know John West from his bands like Artension and Royal Hunt are going to be surprised at his \u201cYour Good Lovin\u2019\u201d vocals. It\u2019s so \u2026 Lou Gramm meets Paul Rodgers. This is one of the highlights of Rock \u2018n\u2019 Roll Hit Machine. Who knew West had such a bluesy, Classic Rock ability? As Hardrock Haven has noted before in their Holy Water review (to paraphrase), that although this is the first time you are hearing the song it sounds like you\u2019ve been singing along to it for 20 years, still applies here. <\/p>\n

Don Chaffin (Vox\/Red Lamb) sings on a couple tracks here, and he\u2019s inspiring on perhaps the best overall written composition, \u201cFriendly Fire.\u201d This song isn\u2019t just \u201cgood;\u201d the groove, a crossbreed of Zeppelin and Deep Purple, the manic crescendo to the chorus, those soaring vocals on the bridge\u2014this is the \u201choly shit\u201d moment on the release. These guys are on to something, and it\u2019s awesome \u2026 <\/p>\n

\u201cIf I Knew\u201d had to be one of those haunting songs for the guys, because David Knight co-wrote it, but his vocals did not end up on the recorded version. Ed Terry handles the vocals, and he sounds like a bluesy version of Eric Martin. The bottom end of this song just makes you want to bounce, and drink, maybe both at the same time. It\u2019s a celebration. <\/p>\n

David Knight doesn\u2019t show up vocally until track eight, a cover of Stevie Wonder\u2019s \u201cLiving for the City.\u201d If you haven\u2019t heard him sing before, he has a crystal clear, effortless delivery, an envious range and what you really need to pull this off \u2026 a hell of a lot of soul. While many times covers are a throw away on an album, this is clearly not the case here. <\/p>\n

Mike DiMeo, who plays keys on many of the tracks, does double-duty on \u201cLet Me Go,\u201d both keys and lead vocals. He pulls a John West as well\u2014if you know DiMeo from just Riot and Masterplan, you\u2019ll be surprised. Of course, if you dig his lesser known project The Lizards, it makes sense. This is one of the safer tracks on Rock \u2018n\u2019 Roll Hit Machine; it seems ready to unleash itself at various times, but then pulls itself back. The guitar solo, followed by the keyboard solo, play off each other in a masterful way. <\/p>\n

\u201cAll I Need,\u201d with Knight on vocals again, was originally recorded and released on Holy Water\u2019s The Collected Sessions in 2009. This is the one song on the album approaching the term \u201cballad,\u201d but it\u2019s more so a mid-tempo acoustic-led slow rocker. It\u2019s the one track that makes you wonder too much and too hard, \u201cwhat could have been \u2026 what should have been.\u201d But just embrace it for what it is\u2014a great Rock song featuring a great Rock singer. <\/p>\n

The album ends on the poignant \u201cResurrection,\u201d a brief, somewhat ominous bass-heavy instrumental whose title says it all. <\/p>\n

American Mafia\u2019s Rock \u2018n\u2019 Roll Hit Machine<\/em> is better than it should be. How do you take so many different singers, so many songwriting teams, and a couple songs written for someone else\u2019s voice and make it one cohesive, naturally flowing release from start to finish? That seems daunting at best, a fool\u2019s errand at worse. Good thing Villano and Jude didn\u2019t listen to the voices of doubt; they accomplished it, and you should really hear it \u2026 <\/p>\n

Genre: Classic rock<\/p>\n

Band:
\nTom Jude\u2014guitar
\nFreddy Villano\u2014bass
\nBobby Marks\u2014drums
\nSingers\u2014John West, Jimmy Kunes, Don Chaffin, Mike DiMeo, Ed Terry and David Knight<\/p>\n

Track Listing:
\n01. OBSESSION
\n02. EVERY TIME
\n03. YOUR GOOD LOVIN\u2019
\n04. DEATH & SATISFACTION
\n05. FRIENDLY FIRE
\n06. IF I KNEW
\n07. MAN ON THE FLYING TRAPEZE
\n08. LIVING FOR THE CITY
\n09. THE SKY IS FALLING
\n10. LET ME GO
\n11. ALL I NEED
\n12. RESURRECTION<\/p>\n

Label: Grooveyard Records<\/p>\n

Website: www.grooveyardrecords.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Hardrock Haven rating: 8.4\/10<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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