Lynch Mob - REvolution
2003 - Deadline Records
By Philip Whitehouse
While I'm obviously not completely ignorant of the existence of George Lynch or his adventures with Dokken (after all, I do exist on planet Earth and occasionally can be coaxed out of my bedroom for a beer or two), it has to be said that I've never been particularly enamoured with any of it. 80's glam/hair metal of the sort that Dokken pumped out left me distinctly cold, and as such, I strove to ensure that the band and I never crossed paths (with the exception of the track 'Mr. Scary', as like any budding guitarist, I've a masochistic tendency to listen to things I couldn't play in a hundred years).
But it seems that fate has finally had the last laugh, as the latest release from Lynch's post-Dokken band has ended up in my possession. Apparently, it's an album reworking and evolving some of Lynch's favourite songs from both bands, giving them a more modern edge and a crunchier production. Since I can't comment particularly accurately about how the new versions stand up to the old, I'll limit my comments to the music as it stands.
What we have here is, whatever Lynch may claim, re-heated 80's cock rock with a modern production job. The guitars range from thrashy metallic crunch to over the top fret-wankery via heavily vibrato'd and pinch-harmonic laden riffs. Tracks like 'River Of Love' and 'Wicked Sensations' are indicative of the level of musical and lyrical maturity involved - and the guy's nearly fifty, for God's sake! 'The Secret' reveals what seems to be a secret yearning in Lynch to become Jerry Cantrell with it's grungey Alice In Chains leanings, and 'She's Evil But She's Mine' is about as cringeworthy a cheese-metal anthem as the title would suggest.
I understand that the album before this offering was a failed experiment in nu-metal leanings - which makes it seem to me like this is a knee-jerk reaction to a pissed-off fan base - a panicked 'back-to-my-roots' album in order to salvage what's left of a rapidly mutineering fanbase. It's hard to see how this is going to work, though - die-hard Dokken fans will doubtless be unsatisfied with the new versions of their favourite songs (especially if the buzz about the album on the 'net is anything to go by), and Lynch Mob faithfuls will be wondering exactly what to expect from George next.
4/10
2003 - Deadline Records
By Philip Whitehouse
While I'm obviously not completely ignorant of the existence of George Lynch or his adventures with Dokken (after all, I do exist on planet Earth and occasionally can be coaxed out of my bedroom for a beer or two), it has to be said that I've never been particularly enamoured with any of it. 80's glam/hair metal of the sort that Dokken pumped out left me distinctly cold, and as such, I strove to ensure that the band and I never crossed paths (with the exception of the track 'Mr. Scary', as like any budding guitarist, I've a masochistic tendency to listen to things I couldn't play in a hundred years).
But it seems that fate has finally had the last laugh, as the latest release from Lynch's post-Dokken band has ended up in my possession. Apparently, it's an album reworking and evolving some of Lynch's favourite songs from both bands, giving them a more modern edge and a crunchier production. Since I can't comment particularly accurately about how the new versions stand up to the old, I'll limit my comments to the music as it stands.
What we have here is, whatever Lynch may claim, re-heated 80's cock rock with a modern production job. The guitars range from thrashy metallic crunch to over the top fret-wankery via heavily vibrato'd and pinch-harmonic laden riffs. Tracks like 'River Of Love' and 'Wicked Sensations' are indicative of the level of musical and lyrical maturity involved - and the guy's nearly fifty, for God's sake! 'The Secret' reveals what seems to be a secret yearning in Lynch to become Jerry Cantrell with it's grungey Alice In Chains leanings, and 'She's Evil But She's Mine' is about as cringeworthy a cheese-metal anthem as the title would suggest.
I understand that the album before this offering was a failed experiment in nu-metal leanings - which makes it seem to me like this is a knee-jerk reaction to a pissed-off fan base - a panicked 'back-to-my-roots' album in order to salvage what's left of a rapidly mutineering fanbase. It's hard to see how this is going to work, though - die-hard Dokken fans will doubtless be unsatisfied with the new versions of their favourite songs (especially if the buzz about the album on the 'net is anything to go by), and Lynch Mob faithfuls will be wondering exactly what to expect from George next.
4/10
