5/5 STARS!
From the dark piano chords of “Promises In The Dark” to the finishing touches of The Beatles’ “Helter Skelter”, rock and roll has its new queen. The talent is unmistakable with harsh voices that command to be heard.
“Promises In The Dark” has several parts that establish time shifts that are not characteristic of pop songs and more innate to heavy rock culture. Apprehension is not what put this group over the top and they will claim to be ‘fearless’ in the studio – the doors of the rock flood have opened. A superiorly written brainstorming that is great and leaves some of the more pop / rock tunes in the dust and concentrates in the direction of solid rock.
“Fire And Ice” is a staple of the newly founded MTV channel. Benatar has lyrically become an overcomer, digging to the depths of her soul and churning out searing emotional compositions. Women are not prone to rock out lyrically conscious comments that can be felt and heard. Being involved in just three tracks on this release has allowed her to be more immersed in the lyrics without drowning in multiple songs.
Keeping the band full has been beneficial and raised the bottom line to an even higher level. Touring together with little time to recover before entering the studio is a problem for most bands. Benatar, even exhausted, is able to overcome the pains of the road and bring her A-game to the studio. Possibly dragging the rest of the gang with his relentless power has made everyone involved better.
“Precious Time” is one of the most complicated scores they have ever taken on and it was an external composition. Curiosity looms large, wondering how the original composition developed in the studio as Giraldo spun above and below the crushing melody with his guitar flowing through the song. Black saturday is a band known for the changes that are in this whole track. Giraldo is an underrated talent who has uprooted some of the philosophies of heavy metal and replanted them in this band.
This is the best version of this particular Beatles “Helter Skelter” that has ever made it to vinyl. Very rarely can you find a singer with the skills to do justice to a male title track of this magnitude. The band as a whole put on a performance that has completely established them in the rock world. We are so grateful that they did not record the song with a pop-based sensation that would not have done it the justice it deserves.
The production is polished and elegant with unforgettable rock songs that have the ability to stand the test of time (precious time!). Having owned this album before Crimes of passion, I’m surprised it took me a year. However, having them both fresh, the way they congratulated each other would have otherwise gone unnoticed. How or where can you direct the follow-up? The answer lies within the mystics of the band’s future.
RUSTYSCAGE.COM/MUSIC
