Number 10

No band can ever replace its lead vocalist, it is sometimes said – that is, no band except AC/DC, Black Sabbath, Girlschool, Accept.. – The list is not as short as is imagined; and apparently, Quiet Riot can be added too. With the death of Kevin DuBrow, no original members are left in Quiet Riot. This is often seen as a death sentence, but it is hardly in this case. Band cornerstone Frankie Banali, known for his powerful, thumping drumming, widely featured in the discographies of Quiet Riot and W.A.S.P., is still in alive and well, and he made the call to continue the band.

This he did with bassist Chuck Wright, who was in the band right before the breakthrough album Metal Health but left before it was released (he played bass guitar on the actual track Metal Health and Don't Wanna Let you Go, but not on the remaining tracks). Chuck has joined and left the band about half a dozen times by now, but he is planning to stay this time. Guitarist Alex Grossi returns triumphantly from his first studio outing with Quiet Riot, Rehab. He gives us confident guitar work reminiscent of the classic Quiet Riot, with amiable and brief solos and a great deal of personality. As vocalist, lastly, they recruited Jizzy Pearl, renowned for his work with Love/Hate.

Replacing a vocalist as iconic as Kevin DuBrow, whose throaty vocals gave a great edge to classics like Metal Health, is difficult, but it is certainly possible. Jizzy Pearl's voice is similarly throaty and grainy, but he is more nasal, and has something bluesy. As a result he isn't as sinister a singer as DuBrow. The music, adapted to his vocal chords, goes in an interesting new direction without discarding the classic Quiet Riot sound. The truth is that the band had been stagnant for years, even if the last album (Rehab) was very promising. The addition of new blood in the form of the young guitarist Alex, and now a talented singer with his own style and personality, actually helped the band tremendously in crafting six fine new tracks. They should be a blast for fans of both Quiet Riot and Love/Hate – I was counted myself as both, so I should know!

What stands out for me is how fresh and new the band sounds. There are no signs of the "grandpa rock" here! They continue with the youthful energy of a band on the verge of breakthrough, as Quiet Riot once was. The musician's pasts are indicative of the sound of the music here: the thumping, powerful drum beats and distinctive, light metal sound of Quiet Riot's guitars were mixed with the clean, bluesy hard rock sound of Love/Hate. The leads are simple, but very powerful and are still carried by that classic '80s LA sound. The guitars scorch as they did in the '80s, straightforward and never too heavy. Choruses are catchy as always, but the way the gang choruses are intertwined with the lead vocals is very impressive. It gives the choruses a certain majesty they would lack if they were simply the repetition of a phrase or two. The clever exchange between Jizzy and the gang chorus, aided greatly by Jizzy's charisma as a singer, made the choruses a great centerpiece in the six new songs.

I do mean six, as the album does not consist entirely of new material. The last four tracks were chosen from Kevin DuBrow's last live appearance with the band, before his untimely death. The band members wisely chose tracks that haven't been played to death already, showing the vigor of the band in executing less well-known material. They speak well for Kevin DuBrow, who, as he always seemed to do on stage, gives a very spirited performance. The man loved being on stage, and he was invariably energized. Put up or Shut Up (from Quiet Riot III) is particularly well executed, with passionate choruses bellowed by DuBrow, scorching riffing and great soloing from Alex, and tight playing by the rest of the band. The other songs are somewhat hampered by playing that isn't as tight. Still, the tracks are a tribute to DuBrow that is well-deserved, though I question whether they belong on this album. They could have been bonus tracks just fine. Production on the live tracks isn't always great either (a given, as they of course didn't expect it would be Dubrow's last gig, but a sad one!); but the production on the new tracks is just fine. It isn't exactly for audiophiles, but it reproduces the classic sound of Quiet Riot like few modern albums can. Listen to Loudness nowadays and you may pine for the days of Thunder in the East – not so with Quiet Riot. It's as if they're back in the '80s, recording another album.

This features better material than many of the albums featuring Kevin DuBrow, and I am excited for the future of Quiet Riot. I will be there when they again come in the area, and I will be there when they release a new album. For now, they can look forward to touring with a fine new line-up and some good new material. This album isn't exactly gold, but it delivers.