CD REVIEW: ADRENALINE RUSH – Adrenaline Rush

Label: Frontiers Records

Release Date: August 26, 2014

Rating: 9/10

Reviewed by: Todd “Toddstar” Jolicoeur

There are a lot of great melodic rock bands out there, but to find one that still has a grasp on what great 1980’s rock sounds like is harder to find.  Somehow, the members of Adrenaline Rush have found a perfect balance of modern melodic and glam rock of the 80’s.  “Black N’ Blue” opens the disc with flair and style.  The intro is subtle, but the song quickly establishes itself as a rocker.  The guitar riffs are full and the vocals are lush.  “Change” comes along and keeps the rock mode intact, with great contributions from the rhythm section, as the drums are up front in the mix and the bass’ pounding bottom end adds depth to the lofty track.  “Girls Gone Wild” has cool riffs and vocals, but the tempo of the track is the real star here.  The chorus is made for a live performance, as is the head banging pace of the song.  “Want It All” is keyboard heavy and really shows the melodic side of the band, while letting the guitars slip in, out, and back and forth between the 2010’s and the 1980’s.  “Oh Yeah” opens slowly, but builds into a chugging rocker that allows the guitars to pepper the background with riffs, while the drums fill the void with tenacity and the bass pounds nicely in the background.

“Generation Left Behind” kicks in and the band offers up a chugging riff that wraps around a cool vocal and rocking tempo.  The vibe from this track is all rock and gives the disc an identity early on.  “When We’re Gone” is a cool ballad that gives a slight twist on ballads of the past by sprinkling enough melodic rock on top and building into a chorus that takes the song to another place.  “Too Young To Die” has a cool sound that is a great blend of the bands influences and loves.  The song brings strong vocals, guitars, and keyboards together in a cool blend that makes this song stand out against other tracks on the disc.  “No No No” is one of the heavier tracks on the disc, but gives lofty wings to the vocals, especially during the chorus.  The chorus keeps the track moving along, as does the different guitar sounds in the various riffs and licks.  “Playin’ To Win” has a cool intro that prominently features the guitar.  The bass and drums keep the song anchored while the keyboards and vocals allow the song to take off and soar.  “Hit You Like A Rock” closes the disc as strong as it opened.  The guitars and drums are the stars on this track, but the vocals are a close second, as are the bass and keyboards.  The frantic pace of the chorus gives this song a second life that seems to grow as the song runs its course.  I cannot wait to hear more from these guys, as they have the goods to survive in today’s rock world and the respect for a rock era 3 decades old… and they know how to marry them in a beautiful rock union!

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Category: CD Reviews