GEORGE LYNCH - Shadow Train [Deluxe Edition] (2015)

Genre - Hard Rock / Blues Rock

Label -

 

Track listing:

CD 1: 01. Vulture
02. Currency of Lies
03. Power and Resistance
04. Now It s Dark
05. Vulture (Slight Return)
06. I Am Weapon
07. Ghost
08. White Clay
09. Fight No More

CD 2:
01. Believe
02. Blinded
03. Fallen
04. Glitter
05. Prayer Mechanism
06. Sioux Wake Up
07. Trail of Tears
08. Under A Crooked Sky
09. World on Fire

Legendary Dokken guitarist GEORGE LYNCH's long awaited "Shadow Train" project finally comes to light in this all new 18 track Deluxe Edition 2 CD set.

George's stellar guitar work, along with vocalist Gregg Analla (a descendant of the Isleta Pueblo Indian tribe), bassist Gabe Rosales (Lynch Mob), keyboardist Donnie Dickman and drummer Jimmy D'Anda, create honest, soulful and meaningful bluesy-based hard rock, that makes this release a must have for all George Lynch, Dokken, Lynch Mob (et all) fans.
The music in "Shadow Train" also provides the musical support for Lynch's upcoming, thought provoking documentary that explores the trials and tribulations that face Native American Indians in our world today.
The deluxe edition two-CD, 18-track studio album highlights Lynch’s signature guitar style. And it should be noted that this band effort is not specifically a 'Lynch' solo excursion. The music is atmospheric at places, eclectic and explorative, and it taps into the Bluesy, Hard Rock genres with which Lynch thrives.

Lyrically, there is no hiding the social commentary; it voices the plight of Native American Indians as the United States deliberately diminishes the value of its historical narrative of the original strong, proud independent nations of North America.
While the imagery and the documentary sell the concept of the injustices done to the Native American Indian tribes, the lyrics also explore socioeconomic inequalities and touches on materialism, environmentalism, racism and elitism, among other issues.
Vocally, Analla provides the perfect complement to Lynch’s serpentine fretwork. His voice brings influences from the Rock genre, along with his own Native American cultural background, which invites listeners into the diverse multicultural experience of "Shadow Train".
The second CD offers music fans a glimpse into the creative exploration of a band looking for an identity. It tastefully combines years of collective experience among individual musicians and produces what is an eclectic soundtrack of music that became the definitive roadmap to the group’s musical soul.
The canvas leans on atmospheric arrangements highlighted by Lynch’s guitar, but it also is driven by the vocals, bass and drums and is polished by the keys.
CD No. 1 actually was recorded after the second CD. The newer set of songs is a collaborative effort of five guys who spent a whole lot of time knocking around together, working on the documentary, writing and performing.
Going back into the studio, the band created an additional nine songs that showcase a matured vibe, which is a tighter assimilation of the "Shadow Train" sound. These tracks are painted with words and music that are reflective and maybe controversial (depending on your point of view), but they most certainly are thought provoking.
The music on "Shadow Train" certainly sees Lynch reaching for the pinnacle of his career, where all the stars align and that one moment of clarity is achieved.
Built upon the backs of his early bands, including The Boys, Dokken, Lynch Mob, his solo work, instrumental albums and projects (KXM, Sweet & Lynch, Lynch/Pilson), Lynch never has stopped striving to attain the elusive carrot. Partnering with Gregg Analla, Gabe Rosales, Donnie Dickman and Jimmy D’Anda, Shadow Train’s self-titled studio album is a defining moment for Lynch and his fellow bandmates.
“I’ve spent more than four decades of my life pursuing elusive musical aspirations. But, for even longer than that, I’ve cared, studied and thought deeply about the human condition and how we interact with each other and the world around us. Fusing these two aspirations into one has been a challenge for me throughout my creative life.
This is my attempt at bonding the music and the message into one cohesive whole.” – said George Lynch.
Here’s hoping that the new Lynch Mob is as good as this excellent "Shadow Train"!
Right now, "Shadow Train" offers Lynch fans some of his best written and recorded music to date.

 

Rating - 9/10

SWEET & LYNCH - Only To Rise (2015)

Genre - Hard Rock

Label - Frontiers Music

 

Track listing:

01 - The Wish
02 - Dying Rose
03 - Love Stays
04 - Time Will Tell
05 - Rescue Me
06 - Me Without You
07 - Recover
08 - Divine
09 - September
10 - Strength In Numbers
11 - Hero-Zero
12 - Only To Rise
 

"Only To Rise" is the debut album title, and SWEET & LYNCH is the name of the newest super-group to come together to make some old fashion, ass kickin’ classic US Hard Rock.
This pairing only seems awkward upon first glance, but there's a perfect logic to these guys hooking up.
Michael Sweet himself has stated on record he'd considered Lynch a 'bucket list' musician to work with and, straight outta the Eighties, SWEET & LYNCH was born.
Bringing along with them awesome skin basher Brian Tichy (Foreigner, Whitesnake, Billy Idol) on drums and James LoMenzo (White Lion, Megadeth, Lynch Mob) on bass, the unit's debut "Only to Rise", is, well, pretty durned cool.
"The Wish" rings precisely like you might expect, an amalgam between Stryper and Dokken with a hair more toughening up. As a mid-tempo power jam, Michael Sweet pounces upon the straight-laced lines and for the most part soars overtop George Lynch's steady riffs.
The song is written in the classic verse-chorus hard rock format, hitting Lynch's solo precisely where expected and the tune wraps up nice 'n' tidy as "Like a Dying Rose" struts out from it.
This track carries more Lynch Mob influence as Lynch chucks some bluesy plugs amidst the bobbing bass and floating keyboards. Sweet sounds relaxed as he molds his pitch to fit the lowdown groove of the cut.
The same can be said of the dirtier blues rawker "Rescue Me".
"Love Stays" could've been a predictable power ballad, but there's a heavier swing to this track even as it tails at a leisurely pace. This song is louder and chocked full of George Lynch's peals and rips where he can get away with them, but otherwise, it has far more oomph than meets the eye.
"Me Without You", features a gorgeous intro and threading melody by Lynch to compliment Sweet's harmonious croons. Sounding a bit like the Scorpions as the would-be ballad winds along, "Me Without You"'s biggest strength is the stellar vocal harmonizing aside from George Lynch's stress-free solo.
"Time Will Tell" changes the pace as Lynch and James LoMenzo ride hard upon Brian Tichy's crashing march. Reverberating chords and a determined bass channel thickens up this stout tune that carries an '80s action film verve about it. Accordingly, Michael Sweet reserves his best octaves for this one and the song blazes. The backing vocals are particularly great, one of the most uplifting songs Lynch or Sweet has ever put his name behind.
As much as this album stays in a low-rolling tempo, "Recover" finally steps on the gas with James LoMenzo's bass driving what becomes a Stryper-based rocker with more of a blues base to it. Sweet lets his falsettos fly free with "Recover"'s banging groove and lofting choruses. Appropriately, George Lynch, who delivers mostly tempered solos on the preceding tracks, cuts loose on this one.
Dipping back to mid-tempo, the band jams like beasts on the crawling "Divine". Only on the appositely sugary choruses does this song ease up, and Michael Sweet seizes those opportunities to remind his listeners to avoid letting the sins of the world swamp their lives.
There's classic choruses on "September", hot riffs in "Strength in Numbers" and "Hero-Zero" gimp more than move, but all that's come before them is enough to compensate, and the title track closing the album has enough sweat and hump (including a quick, bitchin' drum solo by Brian Tichy) to call it a good day in this camp.
Whether you get the soundness of this union or come to it with a glaring question mark, Michael Sweet and George Lynch answer their own call and "Only to Rise" is a killer Hard Rock record.

Well worth checking out!

Rating - 9/10

The Players:

 

Michael Sweet (Stryper) – Vocals, Guitar
George Lynch (Lynch Mob) – Guitar
James Lomenzo (ex White Lion, Megadeth) – Bass
Brian Tichy (ex Whitesnake) – Drums

KXM (George Lynch) - KXM (2014)

Genre - Hard Rock

Label - RatPackRecords

Track listing:

01. Stars

02. Rescue Me

03. Gunfight

04. Never Stop

05. Faith Is A Room

06. I’ll Be Ok

07. Sleep

08. Love

09. Burn

10. Do It Now

11. Human Friction

12. Tranquilize (Bonus Track)

13. Rescue Me (Radio Edit) (Bonus Track)

A new musical force to be reckoned with is about to turn the rock world upside down with the release of their self-titled debut KXM. 

KXM is comprised of dUg Pinnick of King’s X on vocals & bass, George Lynch of Lynch Mob & Dokken on guitars and world class drummer Ray Luzier, who has played with Army of Anyone, David Lee Roth and is currently with Korn. 

The powerhouse trio takes its name from the combination of the member's other projects: K from Korn, X from King’s X and M from Lynch Mob.

Former Dokken guitarist George Lynch has many irons in the fire with bands that, at any given time, include his solo stuff, Lynch Mob, T&N and the upcoming record with Stryper vocalist Michael Sweet. But this is his project that has been talked about for months: KXM.

Formed in early 2013, the trio organically combined their signature talents and began carving out a unique brand of rock based music that will both amaze and delight fans of any genre. 

One could easily conjure up infinite speculations as to what the musical direction would ultimately sound like, as all 3 of these noted musicians bring years of influence to the writing table, but as Ray Luzier best describes it: “When you throw it all together, it’s unique, it’s today sounding, but all of our history and all of our past clearly speaks through the music”. 

Sound wise KXM isn't that far removed from something you'd hear on a King's X album, meaning great bass heavy-funk lines with soulful and dynamic vocals. The only difference here - and what a difference! - is that you have 'Mr. Scary' laying down his trademark guitar licks to this massive sounding music. 

But we have more: Ray Luzier's drum fills, mammoth double-bass and sense of rhythm never sound better. This is by far his best recording ever and his performance on the record is awesome.

There's something visceral, from the guts, from this trio of great musicians playing together.

"KXM" features a collection of cohesive and brilliantly sequenced songs that make for a fabulous listening experience. From groovy hard rockers to soulful, elastic funked and catchy numbers we found standout tracks like "Rescue Me", the broken "GunFight", the crazy & catchy "Faith Is A Room" and the bluesy hard rock of "Love".

Calmer moments include the hazy "Sleep" and the acoustically filled "Never Stop", but the guys rock your ears for the most part, as on the incredibly dynamic "I'll Be Ok", the highlight for me. The bass is a wall of iron, the drums bounce and George... just listen his on-fire wacky riffs a killer solos.

The self-titled debut of KXM is something truly unique and special: this is pure Rock. The songs are powerful, precise and with 'real' bood. 

In today’s overpopulated music arena, true rock 'n roll without gimmicky become harder and harder to find, but KXM’s unified vision rises above the normal and creates its own space, and Rocks bigtime brilliantly produced and mixed.

If you got crazy by the recent 'The Winery Dogs', "KXM" is a mandatory listening but this includes musical fans of any genre. While it's unlikely that KXM will tour behind this particular effort due to each member's commitment to their respective bands in 2014, let's hope there is at least another record. 

Meanwhile, enjoy this killer piece of true (hard) rock.

Well worth checking out!

Rating - 9/10