Friday's Rockin' Roundup - Vie's Verses Edition

As most of the regular readers know, I not only spend hours and hours of my life crafting some sensational literature about music for everyone to enjoy here at The Rock And Roll Guru, but I also write for another amazing website, Hard Rock Hideout. HRH is a great site dedicated to the harder side of rock and roll and I have been blessed with the opportunity to write a bi-weekly column titled, “Vie’s Verses.”

In this edition of the Roundup, I’ve decided to round up some recent Vie’s Verses that you may have otherwise missed. I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I enjoyed writing them.

Here’s some recent “Vie’s Verses” that rock. Click on the title of each to be taken directly to the post.

Is Guns N Roses Our Generation’s Led Zeppelin?
This piece stirred up quite the controversy. I was called insane, people thought I had to be joking, and one person even claimed that I “drew him offsides,” whatever that means. As much as they didn’t want to believe it, I was serious in my comparison. I think that GnR is this generations Led Zeppelin and the fact that they don’t have a large enough body of work to compare only helps solidify my point. This generation is a bunch of slackers!

A Tribute To The Late Jani Lane
I was very saddened by the news of Jani Lane’s passing. He was one of my boyhood heroes, and the tail end of his life was tragic. This was my soliloquy to him. It was a way for me to say thank you for all the joy his music brought to my life. May he rest in peace.

The Ten Most Uncelebrated Classic Kiss Songs
Every band with a large catalog has this problem. There are always fantastic songs that seemed to get ignored due to the vast body of music that the band has released. In this post, I tried to identify the 10 greatest Kiss songs that just don’t get the attention they deserve.

A Van Halen Fantasy
What would you do if Van Halen, Chickenfoot, and Hurtsmile all went on tour together with a huge VH all star jam at the end of the show? How much would you pay to see that concert? I know I’d be shelling out top dollar. I wish more bands would listen to cousin Ryo.

Every Album Challenge Update
Albums Listened To: 314
Albums Remaining: 1,739

For more news, reviews, tidbits, rants, raves, and other cool things, you should follow me on twitter. www.twitter.com/ryovie

Friday's Rockin' Roundup - Lots Of Reviews Edition

Every so often here at the Rock And Roll Guru, things get backed up. Such is the current case with my reviews. Lately, I have been blessed with a lot of new music to review. Between new discs from OAR, Theory Of A Deadman, Incubus, Black Stone Cherry, and some great discs from lesser known artists that I have received, there are a lot of reviews to be done.

When you add in the fact that I am working hard to finish the remaining concert reviews left to complete from concerts past, it all equals a lot of review writing that needs to be finished. I am looking to spend the next 2-3 weeks focusing on reviews. I want to get the word out about the new albums from the bands we love. I want to get the word out about some great new music I’ve been exposed to from bands not many of us know but should. And, of course, I want to finish my concert reviews.

Hopefully this will mean double postings on the weekend – a concert review and a CD review. However, in order for that to happen, I would really have to hunker down and get some writing done, which is not the easiest thing to do when one has a full time job and a full time family. All I can say is that I will do my best.

Here’s what rocked this week:

Should An Anti-Semite Composer Be Played In Israel?
A very interesting article passed my desk this week. The article made me think so much that I had to share it. On one hand, you have a beautiful composer, whose work is considered genius, being banned in a country. On the other hand, you have a man who had nothing but pure hatred for Jewish people and the Jewish culture. The question that David Goldman asks in this wonderfully thought provoking piece, is should this music be banned? This is an excellent article that I recommend everyone take the time to read.

The Sad Passing Of Jani Lane
As I am sure that all of you know by now, Jani Lane has passed away at the age of 47. As a person who idolized him during my teenage years, his passing is really upsetting. I am going to miss the man and his music. My thoughts and prayers go out to all of his friends, family, and fans during this difficult time.

A New Boston Album In The Works
Can you really have a Boston album without Brad Delp? Over at Real Rock News, they have the latest information on the Boston album that is near completion. Granted, the word is that some of Delp’s vocals will be featured on the album, but with Delp’s passing in 2007, to me, that was the end of Boston. I am skeptical about this new record, to say the least.

MANOWAR Is Coming
Manowar has announced that their only US show will take place at the Starland Ballroom in Sayreville, New Jersey. Cousin Ryo plans to be there. Tickets are on sale now.

For more rants, raves, news, reviews, concert updates, and weird what-nots, you should follow me on twitter. www.twitter.com/ryovie

M3 Kix-Off Party - May 13, 2011

For the third year in a row, the M3 Music Festival was held at the Post Merriweather Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland. Building on the growing success of this festival, the promoters decided to expand to two days this year. Day one, dubbed the official “Kix-Off” party was held on Friday, May 13th. The bands on the bill included local act Black Mambooza, followed by Jetboy, L.A. Guns, Warrant, and the Friday night headliners, Kix. A better M3 kick-off lineup is hard to imagine.

While I missed seeing Black Mambooza’s set due to settling in, checking the merchandise stand, getting a beer, etc., I was in my seat promptly before 7:00 PM. Jetboy had a new lead singer and I was anxious to see their performance. I thought they stole the show at last year’s M3 and reports were that the band was tighter than ever with new lead singer DK Revelle at the mic.

Jetboy stormed the stage and M3 officially kicked off. Knowing they only had 30 minutes to wow the crowd, Jetboy started their performance in high energy fashion. They came to rock and that’s exactly what they did. The music was intense and the band sounded incredible.

DK Revelle’s vocal style is much different from that of his predecessor, Mickey Finn. DK’s gravelly, growling vocals fit in perfectly with Jetboy’s sleaze rock style and added an element to the band that was previously absent. The time Jetboy spent together during a tour of Europe has helped to solidify the group and resulted in a powerhouse performance.

Two new songs were performed and both of them could be the best Jetboy songs yet. Both “Strip Down” and “Little Miss Sin Eater” are geared toward Revelle’s vocal ability. The end result was exceptional. Hopefully someone will be able to get these guys into the studio to record a new album. It would definitely be good for the world of rock and roll.

By the end of their set, most of the crowd had forgotten about Mickey Finn and were focused solely on this new incarnation of the band. DK Revelle had won the crowd over and the two new songs left everyone yearning for more. Jetboy had packed an entire headlining performance into a tight, 30-minute set. I hope to see them back for next year’s M3 with a longer time slot.

Phil Lewis’ version of L.A. Guns was on stage next and their performance was as brilliant as last year’s. While delays in changing the stage cut their performance time down, L.A. Guns still worked as hard as they could to deliver a rock solid performance.

Phil Lewis looked and sounded great, as did the rest of the band. While I questioned Phil’s wardrobe, I was pleased that he could still sing well. The band gave blistering performances of such classic L.A. Guns songs as “Electric Gypsy,” “Sex Action,” and “Never Enough.” The songs sounded as great as they did when they were first released. Although a lot of years have transpired since L.A. Guns first hit the scene, Father Time has not slowed the band down one beat.

Not be their own choice, L.A. Guns closed their set with one of the most beautiful power ballads ever written. “The Ballad Of Jayne,” the band’s best known song, finished their set in style. While L.A. Guns wanted to close out with a rocker, time constraints failed to allow it. The fans were happy though, as was evident by the sing along that “The Ballad Of Jayne” inspired.




Warrant headlined the second stage at last year’s M3, and they performed so well that it was only natural they be invited back to give a performance on the main stage. With a new album ready to be unleashed on the world, Warrant and new singer Robert Mason were ready to show the Maryland crowd how incredible they are in concert.

Robert Mason looked fantastic. Dressed in a black leather vest, it was quite clear that he has dedicated himself to staying in shape. Cut, trim, and practically fat free, Mason is an inspiration to us all. At the age of 46, the man looks like he is 26. And he gave a performance that would leave most 26 year olds breathless.

Overall, Warrant looked and sounded exceptional. Classic hits like “Sure Feels Good To Me,” “Heaven,” and “Down Boys,” were performed alongside new cuts from the forthcoming Rockaholic. As their performance went on, I don’t think many fans missed Jani Lane. Robert Mason is a master front man and he worked his hardest to win the crowd over. In that attempt, he was a major success. With Robert Mason at the helm the future of Warrant is pretty stable and secure.

The new songs, “Sex Ain’t Love,” and “Life Is A Song,” were so good that I wanted to own the new album immediately. Alas, due to the Every Album Challenge, I will not be able to, but based on the 2 songs I heard, if you are not constrained by an Every Album Challenge, you need to pick up a copy of Rockaholic.

Warrant closed their set with the expected “Cherry Pie,” which is still as fun today as it was when it was first released. By the end of their stage time, fans were screaming for more. And while Warrant were unable to perform an encore, fans will be sure to check their tour schedule to learn when they will be able to see this band again.




M3 night one was set to end with a hometown, headlining performance by one of the greatest live acts known to music. This would be my third time witnessing live Kix and I was more excited than ever. I knew the band was going to produce nothing but a power packed performance that would be remembered for a long time.

As expected, Kix launched onto the stage with evident passion. “No Ring Around Rose” got the performance started and Steve Whiteman’s power packed lead singer style took over for the rest of the evening. Whiteman is a ball of energy that doesn’t stop for the entire set. The rest of the band follows his lead, but all eyes are on Steve.

Whiteman’s charisma and charm are part of what make him such a great lead singer. When not singing his ass off or running around like a madman, he was telling jokes or utilizing props. It was like going to a Vegas comedy show, only better, because it was rock and roll. The fans reacted to Whiteman’s charm and the entire evening was one of mutual love and respect. A brilliant entertainer in his own right, he certainly could hold any other job in the entertainment business should he ever decide to.

During the set, Steve joked how he was shocked that Kix was asked to headline night one of M3. He thought the promoters were crazy. Then he looked around at the audience. “Damn,” he stated. “I didn’t think this many people gave a shit about Kix!” Ahhh, but we do, Steve. Kix is still amazing in concert and the more your band brings it live, the more we are going want to see them live.

Between sparkling microphones, buckets of water that turned into confetti, umbrellas, and balloons, Kix had all the usual props and were not afraid to use them. Whiteman continued his whirling and twirling all around the stage and the band gave a blistering performance that had the crowd on their feet.

Whiteman still looks and sounds great, as does the rest of the band. It’s amazing that even after all of these years (Kix started in 1981) they are able to bring the force in concert. While Steve is surprised that so many people care about Kix, I’m not. Kix is that great live and they are a band that must be seen in concert to be believed.

Classic hits like “Don’t Close Your Eyes,” “Girl Money,” and “Cold Blood” were all performed to perfection. It was during the encore that the band gave us some big surprises. The first surprise came in the band’s performance of “Kix Are For Kids,” from their self titled debut album. It was a real treat to hear this classic song, which I’ve never heard the band perform live.

The next surprise came in the form of a roll out mini stage that the band settled on for an acoustic performance. Then they jumped into “For Shame” and I was flabbergasted. “For Shame” is an incredible acoustic diddy and a song that I forgot about, to be honest. Hearing it live was such a treat that I stood up and applauded when the band had finished (most of the fans did the same).

“Midnight Dynamite” followed, to which the crowd went wild. Always a great song live, Steve Whiteman took it to the next level along with the rest of his bandmates. Walking the stage with a sparkling microphone at his disposal, Steve was having a great time rousing the crowd. Whiteman has always been one of the greatest front men in rock history. He is certainly in the same league as Bruce Dickinson and Blackie Lawless as exceptional band leaders.

The final number of the night was another fantastic rendition of “Yeah, Yeah, Yeah,” that the band always closes with and always has fun playing. At the end of the song, the balloons dropped from the ceiling and more balloons were dragged onto the stage in large plastic bags. Normally, Whiteman would leap onto the bags and watch the balloons release underneath him, being pushed to the fans in the first or second row. On this night he made the leaping motion and the crowd roared. Then Whiteman shook his head. He hunched over, put one hand on his back and with his other hand made a motion that he was walking with a cane. Then he stuck his index finger in the air to make as if he had a brilliant idea. Whiteman dashed to the side of the stage and came back with a supersized, yellow and red, plastic sledgehammer. He smashed that against the bag and freed the balloons from their plastic imprisonment.

Once again, Kix showed to the world how exceptional they are. With another brilliant performance, this time as night one headliners, the band was mind blowing. Always a fun time and worth the money, it was great to see Kix headline the first night of this year’s M3 festival. Hopefully they will be back next year to headline the whole damned thing.

Friday's Rockin' Roundup - M3 Music Festival Edition

Your Cousin Ryo is on a road trip. Currently, I am in Maryland for the M3 festival which kicks off tonight at the Post Merriweather Pavilion. There is a lot that I am looking forward to at this year’s festival. Between the bands, the beer, the food, and the fans, it’s going to be a great time.

Several of the hair metal bands that I love are scheduled to perform. Kix, Slaughter, Warrant, LA Guns, Hurtsmile, Mr. Big, Tesla, and Whitesnake are all on the bill. Rob Rockitt from Hard Rock Hideout (http://www.hardrockhideout.com/) will be attending with me and we are going to have a hard rocking blast!

Of course, you’ll be sure to read all about it in the coming weeks as I will try to do profile pieces on most of the bands that I see live, including reviews of their M3 performance. To me, this is the official start of the summer! That has me very excited.

Here’s what rocked this week:

Soundgarden Announces 2011 Tour Dates
Soundgarden is going to tour this summer. That is sweet music to my grunge-loving ears! I have never been able to witness this band live and this is a perfect opportunity to do so. Touring behind a greatest hits package and a live album pretty much guarantees that the band will be playing nothing but the hits. That would be an incredible first time experience. Soundgarden comes to New Jersey on July 8th. When do they come to your town?

Is This The End Of Record Companies?
Over at Blog Critic, I ran across a very interesting article that takes a look at the remaining four “big label” record companies. Author Michael Melchoir examines if this is the beginning of the end for all the major labels. How would music be distributed if there were no major labels? I wonder if it would be all online, or if other record companies would swoop in to fill the void.

Warrant’s New Album, Rockaholic, hits stores on Tuesday (May 17th)
Over at Hard Rock Haven, a cool interview was conducted with Warrant guitarist Erik Turner. He discusses the upcoming album, life on the road, and what it’s like to work with lead singer Robert Mason. From what I have heard of the new Warrant album thus far, it’s going to be one kick ass record. You may want to get to the store on May 17th!

For more news, reviews, music that rocks, witty sarcasm, tour updates, and other nonsensical meanderings, you should follow me on twitter. www.twitter.com/ryovie

Friday's Rockin' Roundup - Spring Cleaning Edition

This weekend is one of my favorite weekends here at the Vie household. It’s spring cleaning weekend. Once a year, we go through the entire house and clean everything from top to bottom. We go around getting rid of the winter grime, throw out junk we haven’t touched in a year, and basically make the house shine.

While it’s my favorite weekend, it is the least favorite weekend of Mrs. Vie and our daughter. Both of them give me the same look when I profess my excitement for spring cleaning weekend as they do when I tell them I am going to see Iron Maiden. It’s not quite an eye roll, but it is certainly a look that says “we just don’t get you sometimes.” Well, too each their own.

To their credit, both girls pitch in and help, albeit very begrudgingly. Regardless of their attitude, I am excited for this weekend. I even plan on starting a room tonight so I have one room conquered before the “official” spring cleaning begins tomorrow.

Here’s what rocked this week:

Rockitt Rant Gets It Right
Over at Hard Rock Hideout, Rob Rockitt has blessed us with another wonderful Rockitt Rant. This time, he’s ranting about Poison needing to give us some new music. I couldn’t agree more!

Record Store Day Is Coming
In what is now considered an annual tradition, Record Store Day 2011 is coming up fast. This year it is scheduled to take place on April 16, 2011. This year finds another slew of releases that will only be available at these independent retailers. Most of them will only be available for a limited time. You can get the full list by clicking the link above. Be sure to visit your nearest local independent store on April 16th.

Quiet Riot Hitting The Road With Warrant And L.A. Guns
I’m not sure what to make of this. First, only Australian dates have been announced (so far). Second, should Quiet Riot really be touring? Perhaps it’s best to remember Kevin DuBrow by retiring the band. Last, it’s Warrant without Jani Lane and Phil Lewis’ version of L.A. Guns. If this show comes to the states, how much would you pay to see it? I’d give $10, but not much more than that.

Rolling Stone Magazine's Spring Music Preview
Over at Rolling Stone, they have been kind enough to share their spring music preview, to help us gear up for all the great music that is about to be released. It comes complete with the ability to listen to a song from certain albums. While there are some albums that I am really looking forward to, the one I want most of all is Pop Evil’s War of Angels. Last check, it was still delayed with no new release date.

For more news, reviews, updates, complaints, and tour announcements, you should follow me on twitter. www.twitter.com/ryovie

Poison/Warrant - July 8, 2001

The Glam Slam Metal Jam. That was how the third Poison concert I ever attended was billed. And what a metal jam it was. With Poison headlining the night, they took Warrant, Quiet Riot, and Enuff Z’Nuff out on the road with them for one heck of a rock and roll party. I was seeing the concert with Tommy once again and we looked forward to a day of rock and roll in the hair metal vein.

Our seats were not as good as they had been the last two years we saw Poison in 1999 and 2000 but they were still pretty decent. We were in section 301, with a solid view of the stage. It was a warm July afternoon and sitting in the amphitheater with a cool breeze rolling through, set everything up for a perfect day.

Although I had not seen any of these acts live (with the exception of Poison), I was most looking forward to seeing Warrant. I had worshipped them as a teenager and to finally have the opportunity to see them live in concert was like a dream come true. Add in the fact that they were on the road with Poison and it made for a blissful double bill.

Enuff Z’Nuff took the stage first, and the thing I remember most about their performance was when lead singer Donnie Vie told us that the band had just released their tenth album. I was shocked and somewhat dumbfounded. I remember looking at Tommy and asking if five of those albums were “greatest hits.” How could Enuff Z’Nuff have ten albums?

I obviously knew their debut album, having owned a copy since it was released. I also knew that they had a second album titled Strength. After that, I lost track of the band. I would believe that they had released albums since then, but 8 more…? I was skeptical. Needless to say, when I looked it up at home the next day, they did have ten albums out.

Enuff Z’Nuff started the night off with some great rock and roll. For Now, Fly High Michelle, and of course New Thing, were all performed. The band also performed some songs that I did not know from their vast catalog of records. Enuff Z’Nuff sounded great and of course New Thing was the beloved song of their set. As a warm up act, they served their purpose and warmed up the crowd with a quick, intense, 30-minute set.

Quiet Riot was up next and I had never seen them in concert before. Sadly, this would be my first and last time as Kevin Dubrow would pass away before I ever saw the band again. Quiet Riot came onstage with a vengeance, and you would have sworn they were the headliners. Rocking from the moment they appeared, this band brought the rock.

Powering through hits from Mental Health and Condition Critical, these boys were on fire! Mama, We’re All Crazy Now, Mental Health, Slick Black Cadillac, and the ballad Thunderbird were all performed with an intensity rarely seen in live performances. Of course, their big closer was Cum On Feel The Noise, which is funny to every fan of the band, because Quiet Riot never even wanted to record that song.

Overall, Quiet Riot was amazing and they really set the tone for the rest of the evening. It was going to be extremely hard for Warrant and Poison to follow Quiet Riot’s set – they had their work cut out for them.

Warrant followed and they were up for the challenge! By this time the sun was just starting to descend over the horizon. Warrant would start their set in daylight, but end it in darkness. The band came out to Down Boys, which whipped the crowd into a frenzy. I was surprised to see them open with that song, as I thought they would save it for a closer.

Dirty, Rotten, Filthy, Stinkin’, Rich came next and although I was never a huge fan of that song, it sounded great in concert. Jani Lane sold the song to the crowd and the rest of the band made it work. We were all singing along by the time the chorus hit.

Some gems from Dog Eat Dog were played, much to my delight. I’ve always been a huge fan of that album and thought that it never got the attention it deserved. Warrant delivered with Hole In My Wall and Machine Gun back to back. The required ballads showed up soon after. Heaven and I Saw Red were played and the crowd ate it up (especially the girls). It was nice to see that Jani Lane and the band hadn’t lost their touch over the years. They performed each ballad note perfect.

Jani Lane looked great and sounded even better. He appeared to be having the time of his life, enjoying every second of being on stage and performing for the crowd. Jani has always been a great front man, and being reunited with his band certainly helped to lift his spirits. His was fit physically, mentally, and vocally. It was quite impressive and a bit of an inspiration.

The band closed with Uncle Tom’s Cabin prior to hitting the stage for the encore of Cherry Pie. Of course the amphitheater and lawn went bananas once they heard the opening notes to Cherry Pie. Jani Lane may hate that song, but the crowd never gets tired of hearing it. I thought it was performed with passion and I was one happy man after seeing Warrant in concert.



That left the big headliners of the night. Although we were winded, we were still ready for more. Poison would come out and deliver. Prancing onto the stage with Look What The Cat Dragged In, Bret Michaels and the band were in peak physical condition. They came to party, rock, and deliver the goods.

This was my third year in a row seeing Poison live, so I sort of knew what to expect. Bret came onstage in his leopard fur with his cowboy hat and quickly tossed both to the side by the end of the song. Look What The Cat Dragged In led to I Want Action which led to Ride The Wind. A pretty awesome three-pack of songs to get the evening started!

Cry Tough was the first surprise of the night, and it was a welcome one. Cry Tough is Tommy’s favorite Poison song and a song we spent many, many hours listening to as teenagers. To hear it live (for the first time ever) was an incredible feeling.

The requisite ballads of Something To Believe In and Every Rose Has Its Thorn were played, of course. However, Poison had some additional surprises. The first was to let CC Deville step up to the microphone and sing lead vocals on his very own song. I Hate Every Bone In Your Body But Mine was a new studio song that Poison had released on their latest live record (Power To The People). It’s a fun, tongue-in-cheek, enjoyable tune that was more fun to hear in concert. CC and the band did a great job with it live.

The second surprise of the night came in the form of Rock Star a new Poison gem that had only been released as a single (at that point). It would later be included on HollyWeird (the last Poison studio album of original songs). A plethora of hits closed out the night. Fallen Angel, Let It Play, Every Rose, Unskinny Bop, and Nothing But A Good Time finished the main set. The encore, of course, was Talk Dirty To Me which got the loudest cheers of the evening.
Overall, Poison once again kicked ass. Adding new songs mixed in with the greatest hits was a nice touch and this was their strongest performance yet. The band was tight, the songs sounded great, and the setlist was near perfect. I don’t believe that Poison would play a better concert than this one and for that one night, I enjoyed every moment they were onstage.

Setlists

Warrant
Down Boys
Dirty Rotten Filthy Stinkin’ Rick
Hole In My Wall
Machine Gun
32 Pennies
Heaven
I Saw Red
AYM
So Damn Pretty
Bed Of Roses
Sub Human
Uncle Tom’s Cabin
Encore
Cherry Pie

Poison
Look What The Cat Dragged In
I Want Action
Ride The Wind
Cry Tough
Something To Believe In
Your Mamma Don’t Dance
I Hate Every Bone In Your Body But Mine
Rock Star
Fallen Angel
Let It Play
Every Rose Has Its Thorn
Unskinny Bop
Nothin’ But A Good Time
Encore
Talk Dirty To Me

M3 Festival 2010

The M3 festival is returning this year. What is M3 you ask? Just an amazing day of hair metal music played at maximum volume and one of the better festivals of 2009. It promises to be just as great, if not better, in 2010.

Being held at the same location as last year, The Merriweather Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland, this year’s lineup features confirmed acts of Kix, Winger, Vince Neil, Cinderella, Warrant, L.A. Guns, The Scorpions, Nelson Trixter, and more!

Most of my regular readers know that I also write reviews for Hard Rock Hideout (http://www.hardrockhideout.com/). This is the festival that we have chosen to attend this year. Rather than try and brave the mid-summer heat of Rocklahoma, or attend another unproven festival, M3 is our festival of choice for 2010.

M3 promises to be an incredible festival of hair metal music bliss. Last year’s M3 was an amazing event that was enjoyed by all. 2 stages featuring several acts across the day saw some great bands performing. This year’s lineup is shaping up to be even better. With Winger supporting their fabulous new album (Karma), Cinderella performing, and The Scorpions as the big headliners, this is going to be one amazing day of music and mayhem. It will be an excellent introduction to the 2010 summer concert season.

No word about the on sale date for tickets, but I imagine that it would be soon. The website claims that prices and on sale dates should be announced in the next week.

For more information and updates, visit the M3 Festival website at: http://m3rock.webs.com/

Comments are open. Feel free to post some.

Sunday CD Review: Warrant - Ultraphobic

Released in 1995 after the demise of hair metal, Ultraphobic, was Warrant’s swan song. When the disc came out it received little to no attention, because the music buying public was still reeling in the death of Kurt Cobain, the explosion of grunge, and consuming copious amounts of alternative rock. That left little attention for Warrant.

Ultraphobic opens with a decidedly different type of song for Warrant, Undertow. Gone are the days of glam, girls, drugs, and partying to the wee hours of the morning. As the music scene changed, so did Warrant. Perhaps this was their way of trying to “fit in,” or it maybe it was their answer to the explosive grunge bomb. Whatever the case, it was definitely a different musical statement for the band.

Undertow is a heavier rocker in the vein of 90s alternative, with a muddier sound than the Hollywood strip tunes the band had become famous for. Gone are the glitzy solos, traded for a twin guitar attack, and a more intense rhythm. As an opener, this track is sure to grab the listener’s attention and make them realize this is not your brother’s Warrant disc.

Other notable songs contained include:

Followed, is the second track on the disc, which plays out in a similar fashion to the previous one. A heavier, murkier sound that proves the previous song was not an experimental one; this is the new sound of Warrant. Jani’s vocals lay nice over the top of the dark music. The two complement each other quite well.

Sum of One slows things down a bit and comes closer to the traditional ballad format, but it is not a weeper like Heaven. This is possibly the best song on the album and the lyrics of depression and misery fit right in with the grunge style captured on the disc. Jani writes: When the sun came up today/I asked him please to go away/something died in me last night/I feel hollow on my inside. A disparaging song of pain and misery, Sum of One, hits home and stays there. I dare you not to sing along by your second listen.

Chameleon comes close to being described as a power ballad, but still holds onto the new style that was embraced on this record. Jani’s voice is powerful and dark, surrounding the ear lobes with a blistering gift of sweet melody and perfect harmony. The massive guitar riffs help take this song to the next level and solidify it as one of the strongest tracks.

The closer is an acoustic number, Stronger Now. It’s a gem where Jani’s higher vocals compliment the acoustic guitar and has an 80s feel to it, with a 90s twist. It’s a sad song of unrequited love and knowing when it’s time to say goodbye to a stagnant relationship.

Warrant may have been trying to change their sound or their style with this album, but whatever they were attempting to achieve just helped them put out a great record. More than a decade later, this disc still holds up, and if it were released as a brand new disc tomorrow, I think it would sell an extreme amount of copies.

This disc is definitely worth your time. It shouldn’t be too hard to find on Amazon or EBay or CD Baby, or at a collectible record shop near you. I highly recommend it.

Ryo’s Rating: 7.5 (out of 10)