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Riot
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Vinnie Apicella
Well if any band qualifies to declare such a title, few would begrudge
the boys in Riot. After 25 years, multiple line up, label, and
directional changes, they stand together the strongest they've ever been
as their latest "Through The Storm" enters existence. While many a name
and face have drifted in and out of the unilateral consciousness of the
Mark Reale-led band, the sound has gone through years of progression,
exploration, occasional overexertion, but never has it lost direction-a
testament to Reale's fortitude when none would've dared blame him for
folding the tent years ago. and even then something remarkable
happened. Riot, the glory days of their early '80s classics having long
since smoldered, released an impromptu 1988 record called "Thundersteel"
which wasn't even a trace of what they'd been before. Having acquired a
new found power and speed that simply overwrote their own tradition, it
was a transitional phase that landed them back on the map after several
years of obscurity. The ensuing years would fail to match up and the
Riot of the early '90s was pointless and without direction. Keeping in
mind, however, that their Byford-led British equivalents survived "Solid
Ball Of Rock," there was yet hope. So a few years of obscurity and
overseas pity later, Riot emerged anew, and the basis for everything
they would go on to do would come out of yet another resurrection by
Reale, principal songwriter, founding guitarist. faultless optimist
with an unprecedented threshold for patience and pain. With the Glenn
Hughes inspired vocals of Mike DiMeo, a hauntingly familiar Forrester on
the occasional high, now nearly ten years firm, Riot furthers their
traditionally Hard Rock style returned to on the previous "Sons Of
Society," with an album of well mixed and hope-inspired songs, typical
but unbound, to past conceptualized works that saw them at their peak of
creativity. As with the last, the songs are tighter, catchier, and less
involved; the lyrics no less deep, but rather a return to the singular
designs of their "Fire" and "Restless" days. Metal personified without
the clichéd heroes' welcome. "Turn The Tables," "Inside This World,"
and "Burn The Sun" will soothe the appetite of the most short-sighted of
headbanger, piercing through the cloud of inactivity like a lightning
streak. and lightning quick with Reale's riffs owing yet another
triumphant return; "Chains," "Through The Storm," "Let It Show" and "To
My Head," find their way back to the vintage style of aforementioned
classics with a strength of purpose that supports the verse/chorus
tandem and specific to their modern day make up-another element added
with their latter day reinvention. "Essential Enemies," if not for its
voice box effects, lifts one right off the under noticed "Born In
America," while their "Only You Can Rock Me" UFO cover is more
determined than the original but overall. no. I do question their
leaving the scene with two instrumental pieces, the first being an
"Inishmore" quality over the hills and far away sound track before
ending with the well intended "Here Comes The Sun" Beatles cover and
Harrison tribute that works better on its own. Relocate "Isle Of
Shadows" alongside "Through The Storm" as a sort of counterbalance
effect and there we've got something. With these few exceptions,
"Through The Storm" is another valiant outing by a classic Metal band,
unassuming and forever underrated, but still surviving on their own
merits.
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