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Rockahalic
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3.5 Stars

After establishing themselves in the late 80's with two absolutely killer releases, the classic DIRTY ROTTEN FILTHY STINKING RICH and CHERRY PIE, it seemed to me as if  WARRANT found themselves in a bit of an identity crisis. Now I have no problem with bands maturing and evolving but these guys just seemed to take it to the extreme from one album to the next. For example, as the grunge era began in the early 90's, you could definitely hear the difference and things beginning to change on DOG EAT DOG. Still a good album with some killer tracks like "All My Bridges Are Burning" and "Hole In My Wall" but still... nothing with that melodic, hair metal sound that made them famous. Then came ULTRAPHOBIC which was just total "grunge" and a huge disappointment for all of us faithful WARRANT fans followed up by BELLY TO BELLY which I am sure even the band would like to forget about.

There were a few other studio releases to follow in the late 90's and 2000's with different musicians and such but nothing ever seemed to capture the magic of their first two releases and to me, that will always be the REAL WARRANT.

 

That all being said, their new album ROCKAHOLIC is no different... definitely NOT that classic WARRANT sound but still an album which can hold its own and clearly their best effort in many, many years. With original lead vocalist Jani Lane gone (AGAIN!), ROCKAHOLIC paves the way for former LYNCH MOB vocalist Robert Mason to take over front-man duties and usher in a new era and feel to the band but if you're still looking for that classic WARRANT sound, this isn't it. This is a new band with a new direction and attitude and you can definitely hear the difference and influence of Mason's song writing right from the beginning and all through out the release.

 

The album opens up with an aggressive rocker entitled "Sex Ain't Love." This is a pretty good track that almost reminds me of what the fictitious band VESUVIUS sounded like in the movie The Rocker! The next track "Innocence Gone" is a great, up-tempo rocker featuring some tasty guitar licks by Joey Allen and a strong vocal by Mason along with some very nice harmonies. Then comes "Snake" which follows along  in the vein of the opening track with some strong hooks and a heavy chorus.

 

"Dusty's Revenge" slows things down a bit with an almost western vibe along the lines of Jon Bon Jovi's "Blaze Of Glory." This opens the door for the first of several ballads on the release "Home." Not a bad track and shows a smoother side to Mason but still couldn't hold a candle to WARRANT classics like "I Saw Red" or "Heaven."

This does, however, mark a bit of a shift in the album and a series of songs which are probably the best on the release.

 

"What Love Can Do" is just terrific! Starting off with an almost ZZ TOP-ish guitar lick, the song has a solid, memorable chorus which fans will find themselves humming along to long after the CD ends... great track! Then comes another strong, melodic rocker called "Life's a Song." Again... nice, memorable melody combined with a smooth, gentle chorus fans will find easy to remember.

 

Now "Show Must Go On" really kicks the release back into high gear almost reminding me a bit of "Sure Feels Good To Me" and is one of the only tracks that reminds me of that old Jani Lane era WARRANT... very cool! "Cocaine Freight Train" is a double-bass pounding rocker which is just "ok"... nothing special. What is it with songs about cocaine & trains anyway? Then "Found Forever" is another ballady track but again, fairly weak as far as ballads go in the melody although the strong chorus by Mason definitely saves it from being a potential disaster.

 

"Candy Man" is another mid-tempo rocker which could almost be an outtake from a MR. BIG release... pure filler. "Sunshine" follows along in the same vein... certainly not their best effort and just doesn't seem to flow right for some reason... very boring and unimpressive. "Tears In The City" is definitely the band's best shot at a pure ballad but still falls short of anything truly memorable. Then finally rounding things off on a high note, "The Last Straw" is a very, very cool rocker featuring a thick, heavy rhythm leading into a strong, melodic chorus with some really nice hooks and grooves.

 

For me, ROCKAHOLIC is kinda like a "hit or miss." You'll find a lot of "foul balls" (especially towards the end of the release) but then other tracks knock the ball right out of the fucking park! Mason provides some really memorable moments making his debut with the band a more than decent first effort but while I do find this one of the band's best efforts in a LONG time, too much filler really ruins what could otherwise be a legitimately great release.

 

 


Band Lineup:
  • Robert Mason - Lead vocals, acoustic guitar, harp
  • Jerry Dixon - Bass
  • Joey Allen - Guitar
  • Erik Turner - Rhythm guitar
  • Steven Sweet - Drums

 

Track Listing:
  1. Sex Ain't Love
  2. Innocence Gone
  3. Snake
  4. Dusty's Revenge
  5. Home
  6. What Love Can Do
  7. Life's A Song
  8. Show Must Go On
  9. Cocaine Freight Train
  10. Found Forever
  11. Candy Man
  12. Sunshine
  13. Tears In The City
  14. The Last Straw




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