Black Star Riders – Wrong Side Of Paradise
Origin: USA
Release: 20.01.2023
Label: Earache Records
Duration: 41:16
Genre: Hard Rock / Classic Rock
Die Black Star Riders were made by former members of the Irish cult band Thin Lizzy Founded in 2012. A continuation of the band’s former name, it should be out of respect for the greatness of the late frontman Phil Lynott to not give. The new Black Star Riders In doing so, they also freed themselves from permanent comparisons of their current work with their former works and thus gave themselves the freedom to break new ground.
Wrong Side Of Paradise is the band’s fifth studio album and was released in California in autumn 2021 together with the producer and longtime friend Jay Ruston recorded. This one has been with bands like Stone Sour, Uriah Heep, Anthrax and Steel Panther worked and gives the album a crisp production.
From the shadow of the past
Of course, the band still has to split up today Thin Lizzy Make comparisons, because the shadow of the past is simply huge and one or the other old classic is played live. After leaving the guitarist Damon Johnson lead singer Ricky Warwick is the sole survivor of the original line-up Wrong Side Of Paradise.
But that didn’t hurt the result. If you liked the band’s previous outputs, you’ll want to check out Wrong Side Of Paradise feel very well cared for. There’s plenty of guitar rock, consistently powerful drums and plenty of melodies on the album.
A perfect triple
Featuring the title track of the same name Wrong Side Of Paradise the album starts perfectly. The positive rocking music immediately puts you in a good mood and lets your legs shake. Also access to the following Hustle can be found quickly. The song stomps properly and surprises with a bluesy southern touch, which is reinforced by the sounds of the harmonica.
A nice riff starts Better Than Saturday Nightwhich you HERE can listen to. For this track you have Joe Elliott von Def Leppard brought on board as a second singer, which gives the whole thing even more variety. The rhythmic hand clapping in the chorus pulls us along and spreads sunshine in the soul.
Then there is a small kink in the album. Riding Out The Storm leaves the rocky paths they initially took and comes across as very commercial, almost harmless. with Pay Dirt you try to get closer to fast rock once more. the track Catch Yourself On grooves with decent riffs at the beginning and then swings over to a nice but harmless chorus.
A look back and Irish roots
The next surprise will be a cover version of the fifty-year-old oldies Crazy Horses von The Osmonds brought. The song has the current version of the Black Star Riders obviously more bite, but still falls under the category oddity.
The remaining tracks can’t or don’t want to continue the rock feeling of the album start. the songs Burning Rome, Don’t Let The World (Get In The Way) and the final This Life Will Be The Death Of Me would only be a trendy conclusion, if not the successful one in between Green And Troubled Land would stand. The song grooves non-stop and the Irish roots come through. It would have been quite conceivable to add bagpipes to the guitar playing to reinforce the Irish feeling. What a perfect feel-good number!
Reunited on stage
Only a few side notes remain at the end. So had Fred Mandelwho already for Alice Cooper, Queen and Elton John played the keyboard, as on the previous albums. Who likes more original band members of the Black Star Riders want to hear will have to wait for the tour this year. The guitarist Scott Gorham and drummer Jimmy DeGrasso were not available for the album but will rejoin on the upcoming tour.
Wrong Side Of Paradise Of course it will be available on vinyl. The current label Earache Records advertises for our purse with five different vinyl colors, signed CD and tape edition. If you want even more, you can treat yourself to a special edition of the album with two bonus tracks or various bundles with an exclusive 12″.
Conclusion
Die Black Star Riders offer a perfect triple at the start. Although runs Wrong Side Of Paradise then continued at a high level, but except for the outstanding one Green And Troubled Land the album gets stuck in the usual radio mode. 7,5 / 10
Line Up
Ricky Warwick – vocals, guitar
Christian Martucci – Guitar
Robert Crane – Bass
Zak St. John – drums
Alex Reed musician
Joe Elliott – vocals
Tracklist
01. Wrong Side Of Paradise
02. Hustle
03. Better Than Saturday Night
04. Riding Out The Storm
05. Pay Dirt
06. Catch Yourself On
07. Crazy Horses
08. Burning Rome
09. Don’t Let The World (Get In The Way)
10. Green And Troubled Land
11. This Life Will Be The Death Of Me
12. Cut ‘n’ Run (Bonus Editions Only)
13. Suspicious Times (Bonus Editions Only)
Links
Black Star Riders website
Facebook Black Star Riders
Instagram Black Star Riders
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