Music review: Quiet Riot – 鈥楻oad Rage鈥�
Stay off the mean streets because Quiet Riot is back to making us feel the noise with a renewed vigor on 鈥淩oad Rage.鈥� After various lineup changes, the band now seems revitalized and firmly focused with new lead singer James Durbin fronting the band and attempting to fill the huge void left after Kevin DuBrow鈥檚 tragic passing in 2007.
I鈥檝e had the pleasure of seeing both singers lead the band. DuBrow rocked the crowd with a passionate set when opening for Cheap Trick at Conneaut Lake Park back in 1991, while I most recently felt the youthful energy Durbin brings to the group during a performance in March.
Needless to say, Quiet Riot can still kick out the jams.
Longtime Quiet Riot drummer Frankie Banali might be the lone familiar face from the glory days of 1983鈥檚 鈥淢etal Health鈥� and 1984鈥檚 鈥淐ondition Critical,鈥� but the band pushes forward and continues to capture the craziness that fueled a legion of dedicated fans.
The band鈥檚 13th studio release opens in typical Quiet Riot metal health style with the hard-driving 鈥淐an鈥檛 Get Enough.鈥�
From there, 鈥淕etaway鈥� and 鈥淩oll This Joint鈥� continue to set a Tesla-like tone that features a heavy dose of attitude and defiance.
鈥淪till Wild鈥� carries a heavy blues vibe reminiscent of Led Zeppelin as Banali channels the spirit of John Bonham with a slow, driving beat that methodically leads Durbin鈥檚 vibrant vocals.
鈥淭he Road鈥� slows things down as the band offers up a traditional power rock ballad about the lonely life as a rock star on the road.
Other album highlights include the rousing anthem 鈥淔reak Flag,鈥� the menacing tone of 鈥淲asted鈥� and political musings of 鈥淩enegades.鈥�
鈥淜nock 鈥楨m Down鈥� closes the set with a fist-pump fury that best describes Quiet Riot鈥檚 road warrior mentality during touring, proving you simply can鈥檛 stop rock 鈥榥鈥� roll.
So go ahead and continue to bang your head, Quiet Riot is still pounding out metal health that will surely cure your crazy and whatever else may ail you.
鈥斺赌�
Clint Rhodes is the 缅北禁地 music reviewer. He can be reached at clinton43@me.com.