LABEL: AVEX AVCB-66070
OVERALL: 88%
Produced by: Pat Regan / Joe Seta (2 tracks)
OVERALL: 88%
Produced by: Pat Regan / Joe Seta (2 tracks)
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LABEL: AVEX AVCB-66070 OVERALL: 88% Produced by: Pat Regan / Joe Seta (2 tracks) | ||||
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Record labels take note! This album is as yet unlicensed outside Japan, so if you are interested - check out the soundbytes and drop me a line. Iain Ashley Hersey is a Los Angeles based guitarist and who's debut album is shortly to be release by Bareknuckle in Japan. Iain is also a good friend of Stuart Smith and played on Stu's Heaven And Earth CD. The album is rounded out by Jimmy Greigo on drums, Dave Sutton and Marvin Sperling on Bass and Pat Regan and Jim Austin on keyboards. Dante Marchi sings lead on the first two tracks, then it is Mike Stone on vocals for the remaining tracks that are occasionally split with an instrumental. So Iain played with Stu Smith and co-wrote one of the album's instrumentals. That must give a hint as to the direction that this album takes. Almost! Both albums are full of class and great rock and roll and have a similar approach, but both have their own individual feel. | ||
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Iain's Fallen Angel album will be to Yngwie Malmsteen, Impellitteri and Axel Rudi Pell fans, what Stu's Heaven And Earth album was to Deep Purple, Rainbow and blues hard rock fans. But both album's should appeal to each other. Fallen Angel is a little heavier and has a more European hard rock feel to it. Both vocalists will appeal to fan of Bob Rock, Jeff Scott Soto, Mats Levin and the like. License To Kill is a fast and furious opener, much in the vein of a Impellitteri, Malmsteen or Norum approach. The vocals are strong and will find mass appeal. Goin' Down And Dirty is a little more restrained. A good strong mid paced rock track. Distant Memories has a classic rock feel to it. The guitar sound has an older feel to it. Dante Marchi's vocals are great. This track reminds me of classic John Norum / Glenn Hughes off the Face The Truth album. Classic hard rock and nice solo. Steeple Chase is the album's first instrumental. Cool uptempo track without being heavy and some great guitar work. Into The Fire sees Mike Stone take the mike. This track mixes in some organ and continues the classic rock feel. Strong vocals, but the chorus doesn't quite impact enough. Some Deep Purple and Richie Blackmore influences. Over My Head continues the more laid back blues hard rock feel of Into The Fire. More organ, vocals and plenty of guitar. No Stranger has a great slow solo intro that fades into an equally slow vocal. Great mood piece that slides into a mid tempo rock track that keeps that pace throughout. A more blues influenced track. Great solo in the vein of Gary Moore's recent blues work. Tangled Web is an instrumental number that gives bass player Marvin Sperling an opportunity to stretch. Then it's Iain and some more laid back guitar soloing. Good instrumental. Oceans Of Time is another good and laid back instrumental. But it is time for a vocal track now. Hold On answers my call with one of my favourite tunes of the album. A real Joe Lynn Turner vocal performance from Stone and a great mid paced rocker that picks up speed during the verse. On The Edge is a welcome uptempo hard rocker. A seemingly strained vocal from Stoine, but effective regardless. The Outcaste is a mid paced hard rocker, but does not quite have the edge that a few of the other tracks do. Maybe it is the chorus that doesn't quite do it for me. Still, it is a pretty good rock track. Moriah ends the album and is one final instrumental. A real fine, smooth blues guitar instrumental. Guitar fans will love this to pieces. Moody and subtle. Great track and cool way to end the album. Overall this will prove to be a worthwhile purchase for any guitar fans and if Stuart Smith's album is in your collection, check this one out also. | PRODUCTION: 88% | SONGS: 84% | VIBE: 87% | ATTITUDE: 90% | ESSENTIAL FOR: Classic hard rock, blues rock and Yngwie/Rainbow fans. Stuart Smith fans. |