MUSIC REVIEW: LAST IN LINE – II

Label: Frontiers Music srl

Release Date: February 22, 2019

Rating: 86%

Reviewed by: Todd “Toddstar” Jolicoeur

Last In Line – three of the members of Dio’s band that recorded the album of the same name – have grown into their own after a debut disc and suffering some of of life’s pitfalls, including the death of bassist Jimmy Bain.  After pulling Phil Soussan into the fold and road testing the band and the debut effort, these musicians have pulled together once again and released a rock / metal album that takes them to the next level.  After an “Intro” that slowly unfolds the album, we are treated to some killer rock.  “Blackout The Sun” is an amazing track that will resonate with me for a long time.  The killer lead vocals from Andrew Freedman paired with over the top juicy leads from Vivian Campbell get the metal juices boiling and raise the bar for a lot of the metal being released today.  “Gods And Tyrants” kicks off with a cool bass line and guitar riff that reeks of a fun blues rock groove and soon we are off and running on a fun journey that blends the bass and guitars with the drums and vocals perfectly in the mix.  The verses are powerful and help guide the track.  “Give Up The Ghost” is a slow rocker that draws you in from first note and keeps your attention through the final chord.  Pay close attention and dig into Vinny Appice’s fun drum fills and overall playing that has made him one of the best out there today.  The vibe of the track is solid and should get horns in the air and heads banging all over the place in a live setting, especially at the bridge when Campbell’s guitar steals the show.  “Sword From The Stone” comes at you slow and easy, with a chugging riff and steady bottom end.  Once Andrew unleashes his vocals, we hear instantly why he is the right guy for this job – he nails it and blends perfectly with the guitars and bass while the drums keep perfect time underneath his voice.  This is his shining moment on the disc; a great song is made amazing when he kicks things into overdrive.  “Love And War” is a great track that benefits from Viv’s and Vinnie’s drums.  This song chugs along with heart and soul swirled into the mix with a lot of piss and vinegar.  My advice is to sit back and take this one… it is meant to be enjoyed!

“Landslide” is a smooth track that benefits from Campbell’s pings and squeals paired with his killer riffs and Freeman’s vocals, but is anchored mightily by the rhythm pairing of Appice and Soussan.  The song has a contagious chorus that gets you singing along while head banging to the guitars and bottom end.  Be sure to check out the solo at the bridge – this is one of the best on the disc.  “Year Of The Gun” is a straight-forward rocker that blends killer drumming in the intro with some riffs that seem to be scattered and allover the place while Freeman lathers the song in vocals.  The song seems to run away with itself at times, but it works in the parameters of this collection.  The tempo is scattered, but comes together when needed.  “The Unknown” has an interesting riff kicking the track off and the time change coupled with the vocal shift during the verse catches you a little off guard and takes the song in a different direction.  The riff Vivian throws into the track at transition and chorus helps redirect the track and keep things flowing.  “Electrified” is another song that shows Freeman doing what he does best, but you cannot discount the fret work on the track from open to close… and the rhythm section keeps time and pace and allows the song to run rampant through your speakers without running away with itself.  “False Flag” is all Soussan and Appice in the opening and the lower range of Freeman’s vocals blend to offset the guitars of Campbell.  The song, with various tempo shifts and sound layered upon sound stands out among the disc and with each listen climbs the ladder of my favorites on the disc.  Disc closer “The Light” is one of the strongest tracks on the disc, thanks to some killer bass lines that dot the musical landscape of this track – Soussan has outdone himself on this track; and Campbell’s solo at the bridge is nothing to turn your nose up at.  It seems as if the stars all align on this track.  These guys have truly blazed their own path with this disc and I hope this isn’t the Last In Line of discs from the band…

Tracklisting: Intro – Blackout The Sun – Landslide – Gods And Tyrants – Year Of The Gun – Give Up The Ghost – The Unknown – Sword From The Stone – Electrified – Love And War – False Flag – The Light

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Category: CD Reviews