The Vancouver power trio known as La Chinga is back with their latest platter of raunchy rock & roll for Ripple Music, titled Primal Forces. Vintage sounds and a good-time vibe is the name of the game here, the band paying homage to many of the bluesy hard rock giants of the '70s and '80s, such as AC/DC, Cinderella, Aerosmith, Tesla, Skid Row, Guns 'n' Roses, MC5, Riot, Led Zeppelin, Humble Pie, Cactus, and Montrose. Most of these ten new tracks offer plenty of 'stand up and pump your fist in the air' moments, songs like "Ride the Dragon", "Bolt of Lightning", "Backs to the Wall", "The Call", and "Witch's Heart" dial up the guitar firepower, and thanks to the stellar production, gives the entire album a real 'wow' factor that doesn't let up from the opening cruncher "Light It Up". While I enjoyed their previous album Beyond the Sky, this one is on another level. "Stars Fall From the Sky" could either be a long-lost track from that first Montrose album, or an undiscovered gem from some unknown band from hair metal's past. As far as "Motorboogie" goes...think Soundgarden blended with a little psychedelic stoner rock. Fun stuff.
That is ultimately what this album is all about...having fun with music. No nonsense, classic-styled hard rock, steeped in potent vocals, crunchy guitar work, and memorable songs. I was toying with a 3.5 rating on this one, but it gets better the more I hear it, and a VERY solid 4 is much more in line with how I'm feeling at this point. Recommended.
Track Listing
1.
Light it Up 03:50
2.
Ride the Dragon 03:05
3.
Bolt of Lightning 03:10
4.
Backs to the Wall 02:43
5.
Witch's Heart 03:55
6.
The Call 03:56
7.
Stars Fall From The Sky 03:51
8.
Electric Eliminator 04:31
9.
Rings of Power 04:31
10.
Motor Boogie 04:55