You never know where the next great rock and roll group might come from. Sometimes they might be hiding in your own back yard. A little while ago we went to see a friend's band play in a small bar. As we sat there talking through the first bands to play, I heard this voice coming from the stage that had a very David Coverdale gravely quality to it. Not only that, here was some extremely dynamite guitar going on behind me. I wish I had been 4warned. I turned around and saw the band that was pouring every ounce they had into every note, every song. There was a passion that could only come from a group of guys that believed in what they were doing and it showed. I was overwhelmed by the raw energy and terrific rock and roll that was being played. I really wish I had been 4warned!
So flash ahead about a week and I go out to my mailbox and find this CD. As I put it in the player I was prepared for a huge disappointment as so many times in the past I have found that the music and vigor of a live performance gets lost on a studio album. I should have been 4warned. Not only is Memory an album that captures this band perfectly, it is a disc that is filled with some of the most surprisingly fantastic rock and roll that I have heard this year.
This band has such a terrific sense of melody to go along with their fiery metal attitude it is a really infectious blend. When you hear the terrific throaty vocals of Rich Hopkins belting it out, you are going to be glad that I gave you the opportunity to be 4warned!!
The thing that makes these guys different is the way that they can keep very melodic while still churning it out metal style. Take the song "Here's To You" where there is a very cool acoustic guitar as the rhythm under the crunchy lead guitar of Greg Miller. On this song, the melody is slow and sweet while there is a heavy metal attitude in both the playing of Miller and the lyrics of Rich.
4Warned proves that metal is as much about the attitude as it is about the instruments used. Don't get me wrong, Miller's guitar screams loud and clear at any opportunity, but there is much more to their music than just that. It is the combination of the different aspects that will keep you coming back for more and more. When Greg's guitar provides the terrific intro to Rich's scream that welcomes you to the title track "Memory" it is like the slap in the face to wake you up before they hit you with the main course. The many facets to this band make them a force that is going to have to be reckoned with by the rock and roll world!
They are not against giving you a little bit of a slower number if that's what's needed to get the message across either. "Your Insane" is one of the best power ballads I have ever heard. Dynamic and forceful, this one is accented by a soulful performance by both Rich and Greg's guitar. It also has a very cool bass line by Mike Miller that gives the dramatic undercurrent that this song demands.
When the band turns it up to full volume like on the song "I Ain't Scared" it's time to hold on for dear life as they take you on the rock and roll roller coaster! These guys can do both ends of the spectrum with equal ability and that is why they are special.
From gut churning rock and roll to very tuneful ballad, 4Warned is a band that can do it all and in fact, has on this disc. If you want to just listen to great rock and roll that will have you memorizing the lyrics so that you can sing along, this is the disc for you. If you don't want to be sucked into the tornado that is brewing in Central Michigan then step aside because these guys are blazing a trail right to the top of the heap. You have been 4Warned!!
Track listing:
1. Git Up
2. Memory
3. Heres to You
4. All for You
5. Your Insane
6. One More Day
7. Drowning in the Bottle
8. I Ain't Scared
9. It's Over
10. Say Goodbye
11. I Could be Wrong
12. Never
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