There's a lot of people out there who say that rock is dead, and at sometimes you can get a little overwhelmed at the lack of rock rock guitars in mainstream music these days. Yet when I hear a record like this one from California's Resurrection Kings, I soon become aware that all that has been told to me is wrong, and that rock n' roll music is far from it's final days. The band is a project from Craig Goldy, who used to play guitar for Dio and also features Chad West (Foreigner, Bonham, Tree Of Gypsies) on vocals, Sean McNabb (Dokken, Quiet Riot) on bass and Vinnie Appice on drums. Resurrection Kings certainly seem to do just that with this self-titled effort, as they're literally bringing back the spirit of the eighties rock n' roll kings in a big way. I never tire of these classic rock acts, because it's a style that I find is almost infectious – songs like “Livin' Out Loud”, “Wash Away” and “Had Enough” are just a few of the awesome cuts you'll hear here, where big huge choruses are the main standpoint, coming in with as much force as one might expect from a guitar-powered steamroller of rockin' might.
While it's true that some of the younger generation out there might throw out the dreaded “dad rock” and “old man rock” terms, many of us know that this is the way the music used to sound, and because of the dedication to the craft, it still does. I still feel that there are a lot of people out there who would enjoy this music if they knew that it was still being made today! So maybe the electronic effects on “Fallin' For You” sound a little more modern than what we might have had back then, but you're still hit with pumping power chords, and one of the most awesome chorus lines I've heard in a while. It's pretty simple, but the way he belts it out – that's what really gets me. Then we have a simply awesome solo piece, as if the song couldn't ascend to any greater heights. That's the magic of real rock music, folks – it's certainly not lost on me.
Resurrection Kings is not the kind of record that requires about four or five paragraphs to describe, and I'm sure not going to break it down that way. Any fan of rock from early Bon Jovi to Aerosmith to Rainbow to Motley Crue to Whitesnake will find something to like here, and that's more than enough for me to recommend it to you. We have our ballad “Never Say Goodbye” of course, and several thumping tracks right on top of that, but the whole listen is ultimately solid and full of what I remember from the genre back when I was just a boy. There's a reason that I didn't become a hip hopper or whatever they call them, and I think it's because I discovered the magic of rock n' roll music at a young age. Revolution Kings are single-handedly bringing back that magic and really hope that people will check out this record and allow that awesomeness back into their life. The eighties are far from over as far as I'm concerned, and this album proves it.
(11 Tracks, 53:00)
8/10
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