Reviews roundup – Vengeance vs. Lita Ford

Reviews roundup – Vengeance vs. Lita Ford

VENGEANCE
Piece Of Cake
Steamhammer / SPV

They’re not hanging around, are Vengeance. A year on from the rather excellent “Crystal Eye”, and here’s another one. In case you don’t know, Vengeance first appeared in the eighties, featured Arjen Anthony Lucassen, now head honcho of Ayreon /Star One etc in their ranks for the best part of a decade and came this close to making it big. They didn’t but mainman and vocalist, Leon Goewie has kept plugging away.

Of course, this being Vengeance it’s an entirely different band. The last one had ex- Tom Jones and AC/DC drummer Chris Slade, ex-Alice Cooper guitarist Keri Kelli alongside bassist Chris Glen (ex-Michael Schenker Group / Sensational Alex Harvey Band). After the passing of guitarist Jan Somors, his son Timo took over, and he and Goewie are the only ones left. But it’s still good.

Not as good, mind, but they still know how to rock. Michael Voss is still in the producers chair, so it sounds great, and when they crank it up, as they do on the title track and ‘Raintime’, it’s tremendous fun. Not all of the songs, work however, and numbers like ‘Back To Square One’ and ‘Goodbye Mother Sky’ miss the mark by quite some way. However, fans of more melodic metal with an eighties vibe will still find plenty to enjoy here.

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LITA FORD
The Bitch Is Back Live
Steamhammer / SPV

Her last album, “Living Like A Runaway” was a bit middling mince, but at least it wasn’t the utterly lamentable, electro-rock monstrosity “Wicked Wonderland”. And for that we were all grateful. But then Lita Ford was never renowned for making good records. That wasn’t her purpose here on the planet. So the sensible thing for the record company to do was bung out a live album, with here brace of eighties hits on it. And here it is.

Oddly enough, although handily for branding purposes, the album opens with a cover of the Elton John tune, ‘The Bitch Is Back’. It’s rubbish. Gumby metal. Thereafter, things take a turn for the better. It’s helped along by the fact that she’s got a shit hot band pushing her along. Mitch Perry on guitar and Bobby Rock on drums! Amazing. And, deep breath. Marty O´Brien on bass. Now, this is a man who has worked with Celine Dion and Kelly Clarkson, so he’s slumming it here, but you would never guess.

It takes a while to get going, but the second half which takes in ‘Out For Blood’, ‘Dancing On The Edge’, ‘Close My Eyes Forever’ and ‘Kiss Me Deadly’ will keep her fans happy. It’s out as digipak with booklet and fan photos, and one of the worst album covers of the year.

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