Artist: Badlands
Label: Atlantic Records
Release Date: 1989
Rating: 4 Skulls
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Title: Badlands Artist: Badlands Label: Atlantic Records Release Date: 1989
Rating: 4 Skulls |
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Reviewed by Solomon:
After six-string legend Jake E. Lee left Ozzy Osbourne's band in '87/88, he quickly assembled a new group that would take a significant departure from the more traditional metal stylings of Ozzy's group. Lee, together with Ray Gillen (vocals, ex-Black Sabbath), Eric Singer (drums, ex-Lita Ford), and Greg Chaisson (bass), formed Badlands, a supergroup of sorts dedicated to producing solid, blues-drenched hard rock. The band released only one more record, Voodoo Highway, before Gillen left the band, only to succumb to the AIDS virus in 1993. An album of Gillen's last recordings with the group, Dusk, was released in 1999.Badlands' music was kind of an odd duckling in 1989. In between the speed/thrash and glam/pop metal of the period, you have a band concocting honest, blues-roots rock that honored the past while giving it some modern bite and snarl. Not surprisingly, Badlands is a strong guitar record, with Lee chomping at the bit. Gillen is a commanding presence who goes for the heart on "Winter's Call" and for the gut on "Dreams In The Dark." This last track, particularly the riff that occurs at 1:58, is about the closest thing on the Badlands' debut that resembles Jake's Ozzy days. The rest is looser, more Zeppelin in character: listen to the pretty acoustical "Jade's Song," the intro to "Winter's Call," and the cool "Kashmir" progression in "Seasons." "Rumblin' Train" is about as crossroads as it gets with its laid back guitar feel and soulful vocal crooning. Still, Mr. Lee doesn't forget his history, as he proceeds to blend slow phrasing with some speed-demon runs in the solo. "Ball & Chain" has a riff guaranteed to make you groove, but it's "Devil's Stomp" that brings the house down. From the acoustical build up to the total bust-your-ass electric riff at 0:51 and 1:46, you can't go wrong with this tune. Ah, yes, "it feels so good to be so bad."
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