I am here to review melodic rock of all kinds. The industry continues it's slow fade into oblivion. My main goal is to keep the torch lit. Reviews and opinions are my own. Ratings system moving forward for all albums reviewed here. 10 is perfect, like getting an A plus. Fairly simple.
Revolution Saints Have Picked Up The Journey Torch On "When The Heartache Has Gone"
Journey hasn't recorded a new album in more than 8 years. Their fans have become complacent, yet content with their catalog. But folks who might want some new music have been listening to the Revolution Saints since 2015. In fact, with the voice of Deen Castronovo, Rev Saints have been able to travel in the same lane Journey once did. Except this music rocks a little harder. Doug Aldrich is one of the best underrated guitar players in rock. And with the help of Night Ranger's Jack Blades, this is really a super group that gets better and better which each subsequent release.
Their latest single, could be one of their strongest songs to date. There are keyboards and harmony vocals that elevate the track to sunnier places compared with the band's last effort "Light In The Dark". Granted, Castronovo was exercising some personal demons on the last record, and the music seemed to follow suit. On "When The Heartache Has Gone", the clouds part and melody finds a warmer groove.
Castronovo's voice is the closest thing we have to a young Steve Perry right now. At least when it comes to new, recorded music. If you listen closely, you might hear some similarities to a now vintage Journey song called "Never Walk Away". But overall this new Revolution Saints is a superb, driving slice of melodic rock greatness. Can't wait for the rest of the album.
Deen is definitely the second coming of Steve Perry and this really does sound like a harder-driving Journey. He's got a great voice. He sure proved to me he can carry the mantle after hearing him in Journey Through Time.
Totally concur with both Ken and the TRMO on this one. Fantastic track and clearly Deen C. was/is the rightful heir to hallowed Journey microphone throne, although truth be told, it is highly likely that he would have suffered similar vocal issues like Arnel under a comparatively equal, highly-grueling touring schedule. FYI: I Saw Journey with S. Augeri during the summer of 2004 and was blown away by Deen's frequent lead vocal fill-ins from behind the kit. A real shame that he wasn't given a chance to sing more on Journey records, as his contributions to the slightly-askew "Generations" album were peak Journey.
People still talk about his efforts on Generations. If they had just scrapped that Ross Valory tune for another Deen tune. That would have surely helped the album.
Yeah, that Ross V. tune sounded like a dreaded studio floor outtake from one of the inferior, latter day ZZ TOP albums, like the somewhat uneven studio/live hybrid "XXX" from the early fall of 1999! There was also no need for that remake of an earlier Hammer/Schon track, either, especially when it was a painful reminder that S. Perry was one of its original co-writers...
Deen is definitely the second coming of Steve Perry and this really does sound like a harder-driving Journey. He's got a great voice. He sure proved to me he can carry the mantle after hearing him in Journey Through Time.
ReplyDeleteExcellent comment, totally agree.
DeleteTotally concur with both Ken and the TRMO on this one. Fantastic track
ReplyDeleteand clearly Deen C. was/is the rightful heir to hallowed Journey microphone throne, although truth be told, it is highly likely that he would have suffered similar vocal issues like Arnel under a comparatively equal, highly-grueling touring schedule. FYI: I Saw Journey with
S. Augeri during the summer of 2004 and was blown away by Deen's
frequent lead vocal fill-ins from behind the kit. A real shame that he
wasn't given a chance to sing more on Journey records, as his
contributions to the slightly-askew "Generations" album were peak
Journey.
People still talk about his efforts on Generations. If they had just scrapped that Ross Valory tune for another Deen tune. That would have surely helped the album.
ReplyDeleteYeah, that Ross V. tune sounded like a dreaded studio floor outtake from one of the inferior, latter day ZZ TOP albums, like the somewhat uneven studio/live hybrid "XXX" from the early fall of 1999! There was also no need for that remake of an earlier Hammer/Schon track, either, especially when it was a painful reminder that S. Perry was one of its
ReplyDeleteoriginal co-writers...