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│ METAL CLASSICS ARCHIVE │
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│ P R E S E N T S │
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│ + Alcatrazz - Born Innocent + │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Information ║ │
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│║ ║ │
│║ Rls Date..2020-08-08 Encoder......LAME 3.100 ║ │
│║ Genre.....Heavy Metal Graber.......EAC ║ │
│║ Year......2020 Khz/Bitrate..44.1 / VBR kbps ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Ripper....Anthem Songs........13 ║ │
│║ Source....CD Covers.......Yes ║ │
│║ Url.. ║ │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Notes ║ │
│╠═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════╗ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Artist : Alcatrazz ║ │
│║ Album : Born Innocent ║ │
│║ Label : Silver Lining Music ║ │
│║ Cat.No : SLM101P01 ║ │
│╠════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Description : ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ For all of the bizarre happenings that have come to define ║ │
│║ 2020, if one were to focus on the musical strides being ║ │
│║ made in spite of all the nonsense, this could well prove to ║ │
│║ be one of the better years for metal in recent history. ║ │
│║ With several veteran stalwarts releasing impressive ║ │
│║ offerings over the course of the past several months it ║ │
│║ would seem that the sky is the limit, but perhaps one of ║ │
│║ the most iconic projects of the mid-80s has seen fit to ║ │
│║ punch a hole through that same empyreal event horizon after ║ │
│║ more than 3 decades of virtual silence in the studio. For ║ │
│║ the uninitiated, the California-based Alcatrazz could be ║ │
│║ best described as the missing link between the high era of ║ │
│║ 70s progressive rock and 80s heavy metal, featuring several ║ │
│║ veterans of the former scene and one auspicious up and ║ │
│║ comer in Swedish-born shred wizard Yngwie Malmsteen, whoÆs ║ │
│║ short stint with the band would be followed by the equally ║ │
│║ auspicious 6-string surgeon Steve Vai. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ With this heavy metal institutionÆs best days a solid 35 ║ │
│║ years behind them, expectations are sure to be the sworn ║ │
│║ enemy of this long awaited rebirth, but it proves to be one ║ │
│║ that is easily dispatched by the stellar opus that is Born ║ │
│║ Innocent. The cast of musical characters that deliver the ║ │
│║ auditory goods here represent a majority of the original ║ │
│║ band that gave us all No Parole For Rock æNÆ Roll, ║ │
│║ Disturbing The Peace and Dangerous Games, alongside one of ║ │
│║ the few ample replacements for Malmsteen that one could ║ │
│║ hope to tap in Joe Stump, to speak nothing for a couple of ║ │
│║ riveting guest slots by fellow Neo-classical shredder Chris ║ │
│║ Impelliterri, the aforementioned original replacement ║ │
│║ surgeon Steve Vai, alongside the late Alice Cooper and ║ │
│║ W.A.S.P. guitarist Bob Kulick and several others. To state ║ │
│║ that this is an album oozing with talent would be an ║ │
│║ understatement, though the one who ultimately steals the ║ │
│║ show is vocalist Graham Bonnet, whom despite being 72 years ║ │
│║ of age has lost none of his power and pizzazz at the ║ │
│║ microphone. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Though opinions tend to vary regarding the potency of the ║ │
│║ second and third LPs of this band mentioned previously, it ║ │
│║ is generally stipulated that No Parole For Rock æNÆ Roll ║ │
│║ was the album that broke the mold, alongside catapulting ║ │
│║ MalmsteenÆs brand of Neo-classical shred into the metal ║ │
│║ paradigm, and this latest excursion into the sonic ║ │
│║ stratosphere listens like the stylistic successor of said ║ │
│║ debut that Disturbing The Peace fell just a tad short of ║ │
│║ being. ItÆs given a somewhat more amped up character by a ║ │
│║ heavier riff set courtesy of Joe Stump and a massive ║ │
│║ modernized mix, but the majority of these songs follow that ║ │
│║ same retro-mid 80s heavy/power metal aesthetic that bridged ║ │
│║ the gap between Rainbow and Rising Force. The final package ║ │
│║ comes off as a bit on the raw side, paralleling the ║ │
│║ raunchier heaviness that typified MalmsteenÆs late 90s ║ │
│║ material a la Facing The Animal and Alchemy, though with a ║ │
│║ tad more nuance and a variety of lead guitar expressions ║ │
│║ given the fairly diverse array of players supporting ║ │
│║ StumpÆs principle efforts. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Despite being a stylized and borderline retro offering that ║ │
│║ will be instantly recognizable to any self-respecting fan ║ │
│║ of this bandÆs seminal offering, the lineup of ║ │
│║ compositional efforts here proves to be quite diverse. On ║ │
│║ the swifter side of the equation sits a brilliant opener ║ │
│║ and high octane rocker of a title song ôBorn Innocentö, ║ │
│║ echoing the Rainbow-infused character of the 1983 debut to ║ │
│║ a tee. Not far behind is a folksy cooker, chock full of ║ │
│║ brilliant guitar gymnastics and ode to mythic Irish legend ║ │
│║ ôFinn McCoolö, the rock-organ driven nod to Deep Purple on ║ │
│║ speed ôPaper Flagsö and the Malmsteen-inspired cruiser ║ │
│║ ôLondon 1666ö, presenting the same sort of fantastical ║ │
│║ storytelling that Ronnie James Dio brought to Rainbow prior ║ │
│║ to Bonnet taking his place. Naturally all is not ║ │
│║ quick-paced riff monsters with lofty tall tale lyrics, as ║ │
│║ the more rocking anthem to debauchery ôDirty Like The Cityö ║ │
│║ and the groovy stomper ôThe Wound Is Openö present a more ║ │
│║ mundane set of images to go with a plainer musical ║ │
│║ presentation, while still slaying equally as effectively. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ The aforementioned highlights, however, are simply the tip ║ │
│║ of a massive sonic iceberg that is sure to take the rock ║ │
│║ and metal world by storm, irrespective of taking this ║ │
│║ impressive show on the road being delayed by much of ║ │
│║ AmericaÆs ongoing lockdown. From this bandÆs inception, it ║ │
│║ seemed an odd coupling of old and new given Graham BonnetÆs ║ │
│║ affinity for an image more befitting the likes of David ║ │
│║ Bowie than the leather clad persona of Halford or the ║ │
│║ majestic garbs often adorning DioÆs person, but this ║ │
│║ project is its own testament that metal is more about an ║ │
│║ attitude and state of mind than that of what threads and ║ │
│║ hair style one chooses to sport. And as with the fusion of ║ │
│║ past and present that this band exhibited back in Æ83, this ║ │
│║ current album is correspondingly fit for straddling the ║ │
│║ fences that separate the old school heavy metal crowd from ║ │
│║ the younger adherents of power and progressive metal, and ║ │
│║ whether one be a Helloween fanatic or more in line with the ║ │
│║ slightly more archaic expressions of the NWOBHM and the ║ │
│║ earlier 80s USPM, this is an essential listen and a serious ║ │
│║ candidate for album of 2020. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Originally written for Sonic Perspectives ║ │
│║ (www.sonicperspectives.com) ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Tracklist ║ │
│╚═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════ │
│ │
│ 1. Born Innocent 3:08 │
│ 2. Polar Bear 4:37 │
│ 3. Finn Mccool 4:23 │
│ 4. We Still Remember 4:04 │
│ 5. London 1666 5:01 │
│ 6. Dirty Like The City 3:50 │
│ 7. I Am The King 5:31 │
│ 8. Something That I Am Missing 4:37 │
│ 9. Paper Flags 4:02 │
│ 10. The Wound Is Open 3:49 │
│ 11. Body Beautiful 5:01 │
│ 12. Warth Lane 6:17 │
│ 13. For Tony 3:59 │
│ │
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│ Total Length : 00:58:19 │
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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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