Rock Reviews
Rock Reviews
DIRTY DEEDS |
| "Ladies and
Gentleman, the golden age of Rock N' Roll", these opening lines
from a song by 70's band Mott The Hoople got me thinking, if I was to
ask you When was the Golden Age of Rock N' Roll, What would you say? Would it be 50's, 60's 70's 80's or even the 90's. Well, whatever decade you choose, the reasons for choosing it, would be simple, it marked a period in time when music started to mean something other than, there's nothing on the telly. Ask me the question and I would have to say the 70's. Why Beacuse bands such as Led Zeppelin. Deep Purple and Black Sabbath were at their peak, the 70's saw the birth of Punk and os course the rise of the NWOBHM, with bands such as Iron Maiden and Judas Priest and also bands such as Whitesnake, whose brand of heavy metal was based around the Blues, which has a very laid back feel and was very easy to get on with. Oh, alright, thanks for telling us, but whats all that got to do with a 90's band. Well, a lot really, because Dirty Deeds play a style of metal thats got it's roots buried in those 70's blues/rock days. But because of the sheer quality of musicianship and songwriting 'Danger Of Infection' is just as relevant today as the latest album from Pantera or Metallica or any other band thats hogging the headlines at the moment. Dirty Deeds came together 3 years ago out of the ashes of Outland and British Lion and after touring throughout Italy, Slovenia, France and Ireland with Iron Maiden in January '96, the band began recording their debut album 'Danger of Infection'. Upon hearing the album Sanctuary Music and Maiden's Steve Harris decided to launch their own label, Beast Records with Dirty Deeds being their first signing. 'Danger Of Infection' is 11 tracks of pure rock/metal heaven with top honours going to the opening number 'Nothing To Lose' which features some fine guitar work and a chorus that reminded me of early UFO. 'Promised Land' has one of those haunting intro's that are simply unforgettable and a vocal delivery that's full of power and emotion, that makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end. And if real rockers are your thing then they don't come any meaner than 'In The Name Of tHe Law'. Throughout the whole of 'Danger of Infection', Dirty Deeds prove they have the ammunitaion to deliver their own brand of high octane hard hitting rock and to put no finer point on it, you won't find a better rock/metal album released this year. In summing up, well for once I'm going to let someone else do that for me, afer supporting Iron Maiden on their recent tour Steve Harris had this to say about Dirty Deeds " Dirty Deeds received one of the best crowd reactions we have seen for any of our suppoert acts ever" and recommendations don't come any bigger or better than that. http://freespace.virgin.net/gyrock.dd/deeds/ |
DIRTY DEEDS |
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Not more than a minute into it my first reaction was, "Oh no, they went and screwed with the production. the poor man's Pantera's about to be unleashed!" Thankfully that didn't happen but we'll get to that shortly. The sophomore effort from the band who just two years earlier recreated the famed NWOBHM sound originally made famous from their protégé's Iron Maiden, as well as landing some big time gigs under the wing of Steve Harris in christening his Beast Records label, shows no signs of complacency. "Real World" does not follow an atypically "mature" course in Dirty Deeds' second go-round; we find the hunger and intensity level in fine form as they attack with booming ferocity having already "infected" countless numbers of fans throughout the rest of the world. The difference in production is noticeable this time however. Opting for newcomer Doug Hall behind the board, "raw" could be one way to put it but doesn't necessarily serve to compliment the band's already established style. A band like Dirty Deeds isn't going to fool anyone and the fuller/broader sound that roared forth on "Danger of Infection" outweighs the hollowness that comes across here. The lack of melody in some areas interrupts the flow of the music this time around, robbing much of the character and leaving an expressionless face as a stand-in.but doubling up the rock in most cases with an overdriven jam session. The band was simply firing on all cylinders with their masterful debut, one that really hit hard and often in stunning a desperate audience long since withdrawn from the desirable memories of yesterday's "Only One Way to Rock" groove! We're talking subtle differences here at best, but it's to their credit that an unproven rookie for a musical act could put it all together on their first try. To the point with finger-poking firmness, "Real World" opens the door to a room cluttered with junk and recklessness and guides you to the open window where escapism is only a leap and power chord away! Released by Beast Records. Website: http://freespace.virgin.net/gyrock.dd/deeds/ Review by Vinnie Apicella.
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