CD REVIEW: RED DRAGON CARTEL – Red Dragon Cartel

Label: Frontiers Records

Release Date: January 28, 2013

Rating: 9.5/10

Reviewed by: Todd “Toddstar” Jolicoeur

For years… hell, decades… rockers have wondered what happened to Jake E. Lee when he disappeared after the success of his work with Ozzy and Badlands.  Well, I think he went underground, wrote some killer riffs, and waited for the right moment to spring them on the fans worldwide.  That time has come.  “Deceived” kicks this disc into high gear and instantly gets the head banging and the blood pumping.  The riffs are intense, while the vocals are aggressive enough to match the music.  The drumming and bass on this track, as well as “War Machine” create a heavy bottom end while allowing the guitar solos to soar.  The latter has a very heavy Black Sabbath -influenced sound.  “Shout It Out” has that heavy feel that rockers have been trying to capture for years.  The vocals play well against the guitars, while the rhythm section keeps the foot tapping.  “Slave has a different approach, as the guitars seem to buzz and the rhythm section chugs along right with the tempo.  The vocals are similar to and cohesive with other tracks on the disc.

“Feeder” is the first track to feature a guest vocalist, when Cheap Trick’s Robin Zander takes over.  The music is cool, moody, and rocking, but the real bonus is the rock sensibility Zander brings to the track with his cool tones and textures.  “Wasted” features Paul DiAnno of Iron Maiden fame.  The vocals are rough and aggressive which fits the musical track and give the track a different feel compared to others on the disc.  In This Moment’s Maria Brink lends her vocals to “Big Mouth.”  Much like the Zander track, this is a moody rocker that is enhanced with Maria’s vocals.  Her ability to move from rock vocals to metal growls and screams give the song the balls it needs to keep up with the guitar work.  “Redeem Me” features Sass Jordan and benefits from her raspy rock vocals.  The song has a cool bluesy rock vibe that is accentuated by Sass’s great voice.

“Fall From The Sky” is a mellow track that allows the different players to come together and work as a cohesive unit.  The guitars, while muted are still full and exciting.  The vocals really accentuate the track, while the drums and bass add depth to the song.  “Exquisite Tenderness” closes the disc out on a mellow note with an instrumental piano piece that Jake wrote when he was very young.  This track demonstrates other talents the man has when he isn’t cradling an axe.  I cannot wait to hear these tracks live when Red Dragon Cartel takes this across the country to their fans.

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Category: CD Reviews