What do you get when 80's styled hard rock ala Skid Row, Guns 'n' Roses, and Motley Crue meets up with thrash along the lines of Megadeth & Metallica, with a dollop of crazy chops infused prog-metal like Dragonforce on the top? Chances are something along the lines of Light From Above from new youngsters on the scene Black Tide. This four-piece band from the US (all under 20 years old by the way) display a knack for spewing out hook-laden 80's styled metal that reeks of bands who were selling boatloads of records before this group of phenoms were even born. Guitarists' Gabriel Garcia and Alex Nunez really put the 'slave to the grind' on tunes like "Let Me", "Shockwave", and "Warriors of Time", all crunchy & memorable rockers that stick in your head and illicit your groove on,while Garci's lead vocals are quite strong for someone his age, reminding just a bit of Axel Rose, Vince Neil, and Sebastian Bach. Don't be mistaken though, Light From Above is no glam release, instead expect plenty of furious thrash riffs and prog-metal guitar histrionics, with drummer Steven Spence and bassist Zakk Sandler providing the power-thumping bottom end & groove. Sure, a few of the tunes, like "Show Me The Way" and "Enterprise" kind of have that Avenged Sevenfold feel to them, but who says that catchy hooks and memorable guitar licks is a bad thing? "Live Fast Die Young" could be what Motley Crue would have sounded like on Two Fast For Love had they really known how to play their instruments, and the title track "Light From Above" has plenty of tasty Thin Lizzy/Iron Maiden/Judas Priest styled guitar harmonies. The band's cover of Metallica's "Hit the Lights" is admirable, although not necessary, despite some ripping Hammett-styled lighting leads.
My guess is Interscope Records will get a lot of attention for signing this band, and Black Tide's upcoming appearance on the Rockstar Mayhem Tour alongside Disturbed, Slipknot, Dragonforce, and Mastodon will only introduce them to a ton of new fans. In a time when too many metal bands try to show us just how mean and serious they are, Light From Above is a breath of fresh air and a lot of fun.
Track Listing
- Shockwave
- Shout
- Warriors Of Time
- Give Me Chance
- Let Me
- Show Me The Way
- Enterprise
- Live Fast Die Young
- Hit the Lights (Metallica cover)
- Black Abyss
- Light From Above
Printer Friendly Page
Send to a Friend
