Black Star Riders unleash "All Hell Breaks Loose"

[AlphaMale]

 

In May 2010, original Thin Lizzy member Scott Gorham announced the latest incarnation of the group, whose toured sporadically with various line-ups since 1996. In the middle, they composed new material for a possible release as a Thin Lizzy studio album, but fortunately, the musicians decided to move forward with a new band name; BLACK STAR RIDERS. And that is a wise decision. I mean, a latent criticism and close inspection would have occurred using the Thin Lizzy moniker; if the material do justice to the band's pedigree, if the singer is capable to fill Phil Lynott’s shoes, etc. Gorham & Co. are enough talented and respected to go by themselves, and the result is Black Star Riders' first album "All Hell Breaks Loose".

 

Of course, there are classic Lizzy sounds here but this record drips with the influences that each individual has, and they are also, essentially, influencing themselves.Apart from Gorham's recognisable bag of guitar tones, Black Star Riders' line-up includes drummer Jimmy DeGrasso (Megadeth, Y&T) who also played in Thin Lizzy before, Damon Johnson (Brother Cane, Alice Cooper) coupling on the twin guitar attack, super bass player Marco Mendoza (Whitesnake, Blue Murder), and ex- The Almighty vocalist Ricky Warwick. With the Irish feeling and great guitar hook of "Bloodshot" and the highlight "Blues Ain't So Bad" Scott Gorham silences those who have in the past questioned his contribution to the writing for Thin Lizzy. The latter features a haunting bluesy riff -as the title suggests- that makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up and Warwick's vocals are strong and emotional. Warwick at times really sounds like Lynott like in "Kissin The Ground" and "Hey Judas" but this isn't forced at all, it's his natural register and the songwriting makes a resemblance to the great Phil's pen.

Picking favourites is difficult, but the uptempo hard rocker "Valley Of The Stones" is one of my picks, lead by a killer, marvelous twin-guitar work. "Someday Salvation" slows down the things a little, but it's catchy and compelling. "Hoodoo Voodoo" has a very effective hook which is infectious and I defy anyone not to tap their feet or nod their head, and the guitar harmony & solo are superb as well. The driving "Before the War" has a busy rhythm section with DeGrasso blasting the skins and Mendoza round the things via a fat mid-tone bass sound. This chemistry comes into its own on the entire recording.

 

This digipak edition comes with the bonus track "Right to be Wrong", a straight ahead rocker with a bouncing feel - well worth paying a bit extra to get this one.

 

With its bebut, Black Star Riders announce their arrival: a force to be reckoned with, with the Thin Lizzy spirit running through it but clearly establishing their own personality. This album has virtually everything; hard rockers, a nod to Celtic roots, superb slow (not strictly ballads) bluesy numbers and a great feeling. If you were worried about "All Hell Breaks Loose" damaging the reputation of a much loved band (even given the name change) then you can rest easy as we have here a really strong recording that not only does justice to those bygone days of old but brings it bang up to date. One of those responsible for this updated sonic delivery is eminent producer Kevin Shirley (Journey, Rush, Mr.Big) turning things into a widescreen sound with a lively vibe.

 

"All Hell Breaks Loose" rocks, and rocks really good.

 

Strongly Recommended.

 

01 - All Hell Breaks Loose

02 - Bound For Glory

03 - Kingdom Of The Lost

04 - Bloodshot

05 - Kissin' The Ground

06 - Hey Judas

07 - Hoodoo Voodoo

08 - Valley Of The Stones

09 - Someday Salvation

10 - Before The War

11 - Blues Ain't So Bad

12 - Right To Be Wrong (digipak bonus track)

 

Ricky Warwick (The Almighty) : vocals

Scott Gorham (Thin Lizzy, 21 Guns) : guitars

Damon Johnson (Brother Cane, Alice Cooper) : guitars

Marco Mendoza (Whitesnake, Blue Murder) : bass

Jimmy DeGrasso (Megadeth, Y&T) : drums

 

http://youtu.be/CXZAxcSA4z4

[heaven&hell]

I want this!

[Jez]

Got this one during the week. Very good, solid album and VERY Lizzy like, not surprisingly, with Ricky Warwick doing his best Phil Lynott impersonation. 'Valley Of The Stones' is a belting tune.

[The Rocker]

Wow, Thin Lizzy?

[shamus]

Desperate for this one, too. Absolutely love Lizzy so anything even remotely close to it peaks my interest, especially with Gorham's involvement. Just debating whether I should cough up the extra cabbage for the deluxe version.

[66 mustang]

heard BOUND FOR GLORY on XM today and I like it a lot. Reminds me of THE BOYS ARE BACK IN TOWN

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kq6Z6C3ipMk

[heaven&hell]

Very good album!

[Chris]

Pretty good album. Vocals seem a bit monotone and low in the mix. My faves are "All Hell Breaks Loose", "Valley Of The Stones", "Before The War", and "Blues Ain't So Bad". Recommended.

[AlphaMale]

I love this disc!! Really a great Thin Lizzy-type record but with a "fresh" sound.

[Gibbo]

This sounds like a great album ... and at least they didn't put it out under the Lizzy name

[Nightrain]

With all the rave reviews around, I gave it a shot and only to be left disappointed. Definitely not bad, but not as great as I thought. I've sampled 'Bound For Glory' before and I admit it's a great track, but apparently only that, 'Kingdom of The Lost', and 'Someday Salvation' that's probably worth around 8 or 8.5. The rest are spread evenly between 6.5 to 7.5 which I think is pretty average.

 

I'm not familiar with most of Thin Lizzy songs so I can't say how this one compared to the classic rock act, but with a rather dull and flat vocal performance by Ricky Warwick, which ironically I think is a beast on THE ALMIGHTY's 'Soul Destruction'. Perhaps fully intended for Thin Lizzy fans, don't know, but I guess it's still fine to add one to the collection as long as the price is low.

 

72%

[Stefan]