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│ METAL CLASSICS ARCHIVE │
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│ P R E S E N T S │
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│ + Riot - Army Of One-(3984-15526-2) + │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Information ║ │
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│║ ║ │
│║ Release Date.Dec-08-2019 Encoder......L3.100 -v0 ║ │
│║ Genre........Heavy Metal Graber.......EAC ║ │
│║ Year.........2017 Khz/Bitrate..44,1/ Br ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Ripper.......anthem Songs........14 ║ │
│║ Covers.......Yes Url... www.areyoureadytoriot.com ║ │
│║ ║ │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Notes ║ │
│╠═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════╗ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Artist : Riot Rating : You Decide! ║ │
│║ Album : Army Of One-(3984-15526-2) Label : Metal Blade ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│╠════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Description : ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Eh? Glancing at NYC old school classic heavy ║ │
│║ metal legends Riot's extensive discography, the ║ │
│║ fact the obscure Army Of One release from 2006 ║ │
│║ lacks reviews struck me like lightning while ║ │
│║ stupidly hunkering beneath a tree; apparently, ║ │
│║ it slipped through the cracks. Well, fellow Riot ║ │
│║ revelers, I finally did my homework in scoping ║ │
│║ it out. Far from its greatest or most memorable ║ │
│║ release, this hour-long dozen of tracks still ║ │
│║ assuredly deserves a spot among its companions ║ │
│║ in the stellar Riot pantheon. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Sons Of Society enthusiasts'll be glad to know ║ │
│║ front man Mike DiMeo's still at the helm, ║ │
│║ surrounded by the American/ Portuguese guitar ║ │
│║ legend Mike Reale (RIP) and fellow axe man Mike ║ │
│║ Flyntz with Pete Perez and Frank Gilchriest on ║ │
│║ bass and drums. Although he lacks Guy Speranza's ║ │
│║ (RIP) gleeful magic or Rhett Forrester's snarky ║ │
│║ charm, DiMeo does a fine job of infusing this ║ │
│║ obscure release with Ronnie James Dio-like ║ │
│║ vigour and Mark Turner (Wishbone Ash) ║ │
│║ sensationalism, such as on the lean & mean ║ │
│║ "Knockin' At My Door" (its syrupy, pop bridled ║ │
│║ chorus not withstanding!) and the downright rude ║ │
│║ "One More Alibi". Now, I haven't heard much off ║ │
│║ Sons Of Society, but Reale and Flyntz appoint a ║ │
│║ similar alternating mix of high-powered riffs ║ │
│║ and saccharine overtures - the lighter moments ║ │
│║ to "Knockin' At My Door", "One More Alibi" and ║ │
│║ the heavy-hitting closer "Darker Side Of Light" ║ │
│║ are prime examples, though the leads to "One ║ │
│║ More Alibi" are pure wickedly synchronized, ║ │
│║ surging excitement. In fact, overall, the guitar ║ │
│║ solos rock like they always have, although for ║ │
│║ argument's sake, Army Of One straddles the line ║ │
│║ between progressive Van Halen-ish heavy metal ║ │
│║ and 80s style pop whimsy the likes of which ║ │
│║ Journey, Europe and Foreigner would approve. "It ║ │
│║ All Falls Down" easily belies this but like I ║ │
│║ said, the guitars continue to shine whilst ║ │
│║ Perez's rock solid tempos are nothing to shake a ║ │
│║ drumstick at nor are Gilchriest's vacant-at- ║ │
│║ times but still supportive bass lines deserving ║ │
│║ of reproach. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ There are other instances when the quirky, ║ │
│║ unexpected and drastic changes catch one ║ │
│║ completely off guard. Take "Helpin' Hand", for ║ │
│║ instance - it kicks off with an undeniably ║ │
│║ badass Urge Overkill type of riff before ║ │
│║ reverting to a coy, sugary overture on behalf of ║ │
│║ DiMeo; a compelling return to form soon swings ║ │
│║ back in before the song re-embarks on the 'ol ║ │
│║ marshmallow road and so forth. Admittedly ║ │
│║ though, DiMeo's strong emotional presence and ║ │
│║ conviction makes this track a highlight ║ │
│║ alongside "One More Alibi" and to a lesser ║ │
│║ extent, "Knockin' At My Door" (although I'm ║ │
│║ irked it keeps making me think of GNR's cover of ║ │
│║ Bob Dylan's "Knockin' At Heaven's Door"). ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ A couple tracks push DiMeo completely aside, ║ │
│║ such as the urgent, neo-classical sounding title ║ │
│║ track and inflammatory "The Mystic", with their ║ │
│║ opening finger-blistering fretwork and thumping/ ║ │
│║ smacking bass and drums. In fact, consider this ║ │
│║ last a definite highlight as well thanks to its ║ │
│║ furious shred of a lead break approaching jaw- ║ │
│║ dropping territory. (Ah, good 'ol Reale, you can ║ │
│║ always count on him to assuage such indelible ║ │
│║ musical yearnings!). A raunchy, boxy Foghat/ ║ │
│║ "That 70s Show" evoking riff turns up the night ║ │
│║ with "Still Alive" - Gilchriest's funky pulse ║ │
│║ and Perez's ride gives it a fun crusing around ║ │
│║ town kind of feel until a highly expressive and ║ │
│║ sky-reaching solo comes 'round the bend with all ║ │
│║ guns blazin'. How no one's taken the time to ║ │
│║ review this I do not know...if anything, Army Of ║ │
│║ One's quite atmospheric and homey, as attested ║ │
│║ in part by the cricket creaking, harmonica ║ │
│║ falutin', overt bass encroaching and dusty ║ │
│║ Western, Allman Bros./ Lynyrd Skynyrd feel of ║ │
│║ "Alive In The City". When it comes to nostalgic ║ │
│║ city livin', add this seven minute swanky ║ │
│║ Southern sounding dirge to Pentagram's "City ║ │
│║ Romance" and High Spirit's "Another Night In The ║ │
│║ City". As expected, its high wire solos are of ║ │
│║ the festive pentatonic variety as wide and far- ║ │
│║ reaching as a ten-gallon hat and soon give way a ║ │
│║ brief, albeit honky-tonk-ish return to form ║ │
│║ before a mournful and crooning DiMeo introduces ║ │
│║ the crunchy triplet infused face-lift which is ║ │
│║ "Shine", another extensive offering considering ║ │
│║ nine of the twelve exceed five minutes (only the ║ │
│║ Pink Floydi-ish instrumental "Stained Mirror ║ │
│║ fails to surpass the four-minute mark). Consider ║ │
│║ this last cranker another inevitable "plat-du- ║ │
│║ jour". ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ If you dig later Riot gems such as The Privilege ║ │
│║ Of Power, the aforementioned Sons Of Society and ║ │
│║ the highly lauded Thundersteel, you should give ║ │
│║ this a chance - as I, you might be pleasantly ║ │
│║ surprised whilst berating yourself for not ║ │
│║ looking into it sooner. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Tracklist ║ │
│╚═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════ │
│ │
│ 01 - Army Of One [04:24] │
│ 02 - Knockin┤ At My Door [04:20] │
│ 03 - Blinded [05:27] │
│ 04 - One More Alibi [04:55] │
│ 05 - It All Falls Down [05:36] │
│ 06 - Helpin┤ Hand [05:25] │
│ 07 - The Mystic [05:44] │
│ 08 - Still Alive [05:42] │
│ 09 - Alive In The City [07:01] │
│ 10 - Shine [06:33] │
│ 11 - Stained Mirror [03:46] │
│ 12 - Darker Side Of Light [06:58] │
│ 13 - Road Racin┤ (Live) (Bonus Track) [06:51] │
│ 14 - Still Alive (Instrumental Rough Mix) (Bonu [05:47] │
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│ Total Length : [78:29 minn │
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│ ╔═════════════════════╗ │
│ ║ Greetings To: ║ │
│ ╚═════════════════════╝ │
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│ Too all people who contributes to make this │
│ archive of good music in a exceptional conditions │
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