Texas rockers Blood of the Sun certainly hit on all those '70s references here on their latest release Burning On the Wings of Desire. Drummer Henry Vasquez currently also sits in the chair for Saint Vitus, and along with keyboard player Dave Gryder, they are joined by vocalist John O'Daniel & guitarist Rusty Burns of classic Southern rockers Point Blank, Mos Generator/Stone Axe/HeavyPink guitarist, vocalist and producer Tony Reed, as well as special guest Scott "Wino" Weinrich. The music here is a fun blast of heavy blues rock sure to please fans of Cactus, Deep Purple, Mountain, Humble Pie, Nazareth, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Atomic Rooster, Ted Nugent, and Uriah Heep.
If you love lots of Hammond organ & honky tonk piano alongside your heavy riffs, Burning On the Wings of Desire is going to push all the right buttons for you. "Let It Roll", the title track, and "Can't Stop My Heart" are all '70s styled rockers with that Deep Purple organ/guitar thing going on strong, while "Bring Me Down" is a must for any Southern Rock fan, complete with nasty riffs, sizzling slide guitar, and funky piano. So great to hear O'Daniel & Burns tearing it up again, as Point Blank for me were always one of the most underrated Southern Rock bands of all time. Blistering riffs and rampaging Hammond drive the furious "Rock Your Station", a tune that also features powerful vocals, and "Good Feeling" is a like a late night jam session between Point Blank, Blackfoot, and Lynyrd Skynyrd. "The Snitch" once again packs in those sizzling Blackmore & Lord styled guitar & Hammond exchanges, and Wino lends his whisky soaked vocals to the grueling closer "Good and Evil", a real heavy, bluesy number with some punishing riffs and organ.
All I can say is 'wow'...this is a real surprise to close out 2012, a kick ass slab of '70s inspired hard rock that works on all levels. Let's hope a follow-up is not too far in the distant future.
Track Listing
1. Let It Roll
2. Burning on the Wings of Desire
3. Can't Stop My Heart
4. Bring Me Down
5. Rock Your Station
6. Good Feeling
7. the Snitch
8. Good and Evil