Growing up in Jersey in the late 80's, it was virtually impossible to be part of the local club/ music scene without having heard of the four-man band from Paramus who called themselves TRIXTER. Composed of bassist P.J. Farley, drummer Mark "Gus" Scott, lead vocalist Pete Loran and guitarist Steve Brown, the hometown boys finally caught their big break in 1990 after getting signed to a major label deal on MCA Records and the debut of their self-titled release. From there these guys seemed to jettison right into the spotlight as that release sported three #1 videos on MTV, four Top 20 AOR radio hits, reached # 16 on the Billboard Charts and landed them an opening slot touring with such acts as STRYPER, POISON, Don Dokken and SCORPIONS.

Now being a fan, I always enjoyed the first release although I kinda felt that its overall "poppy" and toned down sound wasn't really an accurate portrayal of what this band was all about. Strike that one up to a record label that seemed to be more concerned with image than with the quality of the recording but hey, what do I know? It worked, right? As the band found stardom in the eyes of thousands upon thousands of screaming teenage girls around the world... not "necessarily" a bad thing BUT because they were kinda lumped into that poppy/ pretty-boy category, they lost the respect of that heavier, more aggressive rock audience which as anyone who has seen this band live can tell ya IS what this band always was. Hearing them on record is one thing, but seeing them live was a COMPLETELY different animal.

Their second CD "Hear" was a much better representation with some absolutely killer tracks like "Rockin' Horse," "On The Road Again" and "Nobody's A Hero" but remember, it was 1992 and NIRVANA and the like were just beginning to make their mark and virtually destroy the heavy metal/ hard rock genre for years to come. So the album never gained the success or recognition it should have and after one final shot with the release of their third CD, a covers album aptly titled "Under Covers," the once mighty TRIXTER, like so many other bands in the genre, simply faded away and laid dormant...

UNTIL NOW!

After almost 20 years since their last original, full length studio release, TRIXTER has awakened with a new release entitled "New Audio Machine" on Frontiers Records AND with all four original members still in tact. The biggest difference between then and now is that NOW, it's all about the music as TRIXTER has finally released an all-around quality CD which is certainly gonna make a lot of heads spin!

Just listening to the opening verse of "Drag Me Down" is enough for most people to say, "Huh? This is TRIXTER?" Co-penned with Steve Brown, former STYX guitar-slinger Glen Burtnik adds his own musical touches to this track which starts off with an almost southern-rock groove to it (ala TESLA) but when this one kicks in, Holy Shit does it smack you in the face like an anvil with a fierce guitar riff and an incredibly thick, rich arrangement. Great, GREAT tune which is anything BUT your typical TRIXTER.

"Get On It" is similar in that heavier, more aggressive style but slightly weaker in its composition. Still a cool track but I think the thing that's driving me crazy about this one is that the rhythm of part of the chorus and even Pete's vocal expression at times reminds me of something I have heard before although I just can't quite put my finger on it. Take a listen and you'll see what I mean.

"Dirty Love" is your prototypical TRIXTER track... even the very first few seconds sound almost like the beginning of "Line Of Fire" and the guitar licks and rhythm through out are unmistakably Steve Brown just as the backing vocals in the chorus have that distinct TRIXTER flavor. The same can be said about "Physical Attraction," another up-tempo, TRIXTER-esq rocker which comes up a little later on the release and will be sure to please all those TRIXTER die-hards.

"Machine," on the other hand, while still maintaining just a touch of that TRIXTER flair is an aggressive, artery-bursting track which will surely get your blood pumping. I absolutely LOVE Farley's thundering bass rhythm layered over Scott's heavy percussion hits as the song begins right before Steve's guitar comes screaming in and Loran's vocals take over. Killer, killer track... easily one of the best on the release.

I really love the lyrics of "Live For The Day." This "pseudo-ballad" packs a very positive and uplifting message and allows Pete's amazing vocals to really take center stage for the first time. Beautifully done and the ever so subtle keyboards perfectly compliment the electric-acoustic driven melody giving the chorus that full, fat sound. And who was responsible for those keyboards you might ask? Who else but our old friend Eric Ragno! Come on, for a release like this you knew he had to be on here somewhere!

"Ride" finds the band once again returning to their roots as far as the overall hooks and grooves to the song but still it has a sharper, edgier side that true fans are gonna love. This is followed up by "Physical Attraction" which I mentioned earlier.

Now we come to my favorite part of the CD... the next two songs are simply brilliant!

"Tattoos & Misery" is the first single and video for the release and is easily the most commercially appealing... they couldn't have made a better choice to re-introduce themselves to the world. The potent, melodic chorus is pure AOR gold accompanied by a solid verse which reminds me a little in sound and quality of the more commercial side of Butch Walker and the guitar solo by Brown is nothing less than jaw-dropping. Phenomenal song... can't get much better than this, or can you?

Most artists through out the course of their career will happen upon that one song that is just so special it rivals anything they had ever done before and for those very rare artists, it can actually happen more than once. And it doesn't have to be their "signature" song or even their most popular... it's just that one song which is so brilliant in its essence, composition and nature that it almost gives you chills every time you hear it. For example, I think QUEENSRYCHE accomplished it with "Anybody Listening," I think DOKKEN did it with "Walk Away" and even artists like Prince did it with "Purple Rain" or Natalie Merchant with "Wonder" but TRIXTER never really had their moment like that... up until now.

I still can't get over just how perfect "The Coolest Thing" is and since I've gotten the CD, I must have listened to this track a least 100 times and it still gives me chills every time I hear it. The arrangement, the lyrics, the feel, the production, everything about this song is sheer perfection right down to the final note. Pete Loran gives the vocal performance of a lifetime so much so that you can actually feel the emotion flow through you as the rest of the musicians on this track add their own slice of mastery to this ballad which should be as timeless as JOURNEY's "Open Arms" or FIREHOUSE's "Love of a Lifetime." This is exactly the kind of song which needs to be heard and the epitome of what true musicianship and song-writing is all about. Guys... take a bow. You certainly deserve a standing ovation for this one.... This is YOUR SONG and a song you should be remembered for forever.

It's actually a bit difficult to continue on with my review after a moment like that and a piece of genius like "The Coolest Thing" but trying to take that out of the equation, the CD winds down or should I say, winds-UP again with another audacious, up-tempo number called "Save Your Soul." The heavy guitar riff gives way to a nicely executed and almost anthem-like chorus on this one. Then finally rounding off the standard release is a song called "Walk With A Stranger" which was written way back in the late 80's by SKID ROW's Snake Sabo and Rachel Bolan which I actually remember hearing TRIXTER play a few times way back when. While is does have the slight vibe of a SKID ROW outtake, TRIXTER has finally captured and made it genuinely their own.

Now if you're fortunate enough to snag a copy of the import release, you'll find one more satisfying little morsel in the bonus track... an acoustically driven remake of the TRIXTER favorite "Heart Of Steel" originally recorded on their debut release. Takes a little getting use to after hearing the "plugged" version for so many years but I definitely love and admire its purity and rawness over the original recording.

Bottom Line, If you think you know and have heard all there is to hear about TRIXTER, you ain't heard shit! "New Audio Machine" is an incredible, well-rounded release which is a prime example of what you can accomplish by effectively blending musicianship, production and style with maturity and ingenuity. TRIXTER fans, it's been 20 years but they finally got it right and for any fan of hard, melodic rock/ AOR "New Audio Machine" has more than its share of tasty tidbits and memorable moments. Just a class A production all around which will bury any misconceptions anyone has ever had about these guys once and for all. THIS is what hard rock is all about... THIS is TRIXTER!