POINT BLANK – Volume 9 (CD)

When the going gets tough, the tough keep on rockin’. Point Blank is one of the core units of high-class classic southern rock. They released the self-titled debut in 1976 and were handled by ZZ Top’s manager, Bill Ham. Especially their first two albums are still among my all-time favorite albums. The later releases were also good, but the southern rock had now become a bit more AOR-oriented. After the album American Excess in 1981, the band disappeared. Then, lo and behold, the southern rose rose again! I had the great pleasure of seeing the band’s return to the live stage in 2007 and it was my favorite shows of the year. The return album Reloaded came out the same year, and proved they could still deliver! The band has unfortunately lost some of its original members (R.I.P), but still they have now returned with another slab of southern steel! Singer John O’Daniel and guitarist Rusty Burns are still standing and they still deliver! Volume 9 features some serious rock hard rockers such as the instrumental opener Blast, Howling Wolf, Automobile, Johnny Dallas, Start The Car and To Be A Man, which show the band is still a force to be reckoned with. Point Blank have always included a few ballads that were on the verge of being a bit too pop or country for me, but they still work. This album is no exception, apart from Heart Of A Fool which is a bit over the edge for me, but it's most likely because of the sax (for some reason I just hate sax). Fans of southern rock – there’s no hesitating – get it and get it now!

Janne Stark

Label: Fairway Records

Country: USA

Year: 2014

SNAKE HEAD RITUAL - Snake Head Ritual (CD)

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Ok, I may be partial, but Grooveyard Records have a special knack for digging out outstanding bluesy, riff-oriented great bands! Blindstone, Gugun Power Trio, Tony Spinner, Plankton, the list goes on. Snake Head Ritual is another name to add to that list.This band taps on that good old vintage riff based southern rock vein of classic bands like Point Blank, Blackfoot and Molly Hatchet, witch a strong touch of vintage Cactus at times.  The riffage is unmistakeably seventies and the vocal delivery from Kevin Chez sounds like it could have been ripped from an old unreleased early seventiesrecording by Fanny Adams or Truk, back when the singer showed some true feeling in his vocal delivery. The riffs are timeless and the delivery is stellar. This band grooves, twists and turns and there’s no damn way I can sit still while listening. Ten great tracks is all it takes to make an album that makes you long for the next release. Montrose did it, Mountain did it, now Snake Head Ritual has done it!

Janne Stark

Country: USA

Year: 2013

Label: Grooveyard Records

THE ITCH - Spreading Like Wildfire (CD)

Boy, have I been waiting for this one! Ever since they released their four track CD single I’ve been waiting for the boys to get their stuff together. Now they have, and I love it! I’ve been following guitarist/singer Lukas since his (very) young days in bands like The Booze Brothers and he’s always had a great blues rock vibe to his playing. Even though he went a bit astray with doom/horror rockers Tenebre, he’s now found his home again. This is pure brilliant bluesy hard rock in the vein of bands like The Answer, Electric Mary, Roadstar and actually with a touch of The Hellacopters in their prime in songs like (3). Lukas is not only a great guitar player but also a classy singer. Besides the rockers there’s a really nice bluesy acoustic ballad with a touch of vintage Point Blank. One cool thing is the trade-off solo in the middle. As a contrast the subsequent track (10) rocks it in a true really heavy Zeppelinesque way and a riff that really hits home. This is a pretty diverse album ranging from straight ahead rockers to heavy riffsters and the acoustic interlude. Highly recommended!
Janne Stark

Year: 2011

Label: Rambo Music

Country: Sweden

POINT BLANK - Fight On! (CD)

Anybody remembers vintage southern rockers Point Blank? Yepp, thought so. After way too many years of absence they finally re-united and entered the stage of Sweden Rock Festival last year. When watching the band deliver classic rockers like “Uncle Ned”, “Bad Bees”, “Back In The Alley” and “Nasty Notions” my smile just wouldn’t stop growing. A tour followed and now the band has finally released a new studio album. My favourite period of the band was the first four albums; “Point Blank”, “Second Season”, “Airplay” and “The Hard Way” after which they became a bit too slick and mainstream for my liking. I’m happy to say the return of the southern gentlemen is closer to the early years than the later. Ok, it may not be as dirty and rough as the vintage stuff, but that also has to do with the recording qualities of today etc. The edge is still there in tracks like “Down Not Dead”, “Fight On!”, “Hit The Bottom”, “Deep Ellum Women”, “Out Of Darkness”, “Big White Horse”, “Undercover Lover” and “Short Stack Of Blues” (which makes it most of the tracks, right?), while they show the softer side in tracks like “Made Of Stone”, the sweet instrumental “My Soul Cries Out” with its great guitar harmonies and acoustic soloing and my least favourite on the album, the sugar sweet “Cold Day In Hell”. Even there are no riffs that give classics like “Uncle Ned” or “Nasty Notions” a run for their money, the song material is consistent and it’s really good. It’s an easy listening album, very melodic but still with a nice rough edge to it. It should appeal to both long lost fans and a new crowd of southern rock fans. It’s great to hear O’Daniel still sings southern rock the way it’s supposed to be sung. He still has enough cohones and bluesy feel to pull it off with pride. The same can be said about Rusty Burns guitar playing. He plays with the same conviction, feel and power as ever! Old guitarists don’t fade away they just get longer beards! A nice return from a band I had almost given up on!

/Janne Stark

Genre: Southern rock

Label: Dixie Frog

Country: USA

Year: 2009

Website: http://www.pointblanksouthernrock.com/