Reviews from August/99
If you liked their debut and "Double Medication Tuesday" you will love
this. The two frontmen in Harlan cage really got it all together this time.
I thought that their previous efforts was good - but also very anonymous.
In the past the band FORTUNE was their common playground and it worked
out the same way with good melodies, nice production but very anonymous.
With "Forbidden Colors" this will change - they are far more edgy
and the hooks and melodies are very strong - with a very tight and dynamic
production. The two frontmen Larry Greene and Roger Scott Craig again covers
an old FORTUNE song, this time it's "Thrill of it all".
As backing they have joined forces with drummer Ron Wikso (Foreigner
and The Storm) and Billy Liesegang (Glenn Hughes) on guitar - and the sound
is slightly rawer than before, but never losing their melodic touch. I
personally like "Can't tame the Raven" with violins and fiddles and very
good lyrics. A very big sound and very good choir-work from master Tommy
Funderburk (King of Hearts).
"Forbidden Colors" appeals to hard-core Aor-sters but with this
sound and rougher guitars this time around they also appeal to hard rock
and metal fan.
The swedes are back - metal a la Malmsteen, Talisman and others but with
the focus on the bassplayer!!
Bassist Jonas Reingold is stil a member of the brilliant swedish
combo Midnight Sun - also starring vocalist Pete Sandberg. But he felt
like releasing material he had written in another name and another context.
He contacted some old and new friends and that led to the band Reingold.
Jonas Reingold chose star-vocalist Göran Edman (Brazen Abbot, Malmsteen
and Glory) to handle the singing - excellent choise - and put drummer Jaime
Salazar (Bad Habit) and axeswinger Marcus Jacobsen as permanent members.
The playing on this album is outstanding Jonas Reingold is an equilibrist
on his instrument, on the innersleeve he has a note to the late Jaco Pastorius
(Weather Report) and he better... Goran Edman is in good shape and drives
his powerful voice to a maximum througout the fast number and the more
soft stuff.
"Universe" is an excellent debut with great musicians and astonishing
perfermances, plenty of good hard rock with strong melodies and first of
all Jonas Reingold on his bass.
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1/5
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I do not understand why this record came out in the first place - so I
ask myself why this re-release??
Not to be confused with the early 80's band this is the band formed
by ex-Mötley Crüe and Scream vocalist John Corabi and former
Kiss guitarist Bruce Kulick - but almost nobody bought this in the first place,
now I know the reason why !!
They try to adapt the sound of alternative-grunge-Seattle type of rock like Stone Temple Pilots, Pearl Jam and others, only they did a far better job. Only highlight on this one is their coverversion of Beatles'
"Oh Darling" - not much of an effort.
Maybe I am not the right person to review this - it's grungy, has
a lack in melody and a week production- may they rest in peace.
I will
give them 1 "guitar" in the rating though - and that is for trying.