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DAVID ROCK FEINSTEIN
"Bitten by the Beast"
(Niji Entertainment; 2010)
Reviewed by R. Scott Bolton
David "Rock" Feinstein is the driving force behind the legendary metal band The Rods, not to mention the cousin of the one and only Ronnie James Dio, whom he also played with in bands such as Elf and Ronnie and the Prophets. So you'd expect his new solo album to be an old school metal feast ... and it is.
With its chunky riffs, satisfying leads and vocals along the lines of classic singers like Ozzy, Ian Gillan and Dio himself, "Bitten by the Beast" is quite entertaining for any metal fan.
Of course, Feinstein isn't nearly as good a vocalist as Gillan or Dio, and the production here is often annoyingly muddy. Still, the nine songs are fist-punching anthems from beginning to end, even if they are sometimes pretty cheesy. Ironically, "I Live for Metal," which actually features vocals by the late Ronnie James Dio, is kind of tame, playing more like a power ballad than an anthem but, damn, it's good to hear the master once again.
Not a perfect album but far from a terrible one, "Bitten by the Beast" is an irresistible celebration of classic heavy metal.
For more information, check out http://www.bittenbythebeast.com/.
Rating Guide:
A classic. This record will kick your ass.
Killer. Not a classic but it will rock your world.
So-so. You've heard better.
Pretty bad. Might make a nice coaster.
Self explanatory. Just the sight of the cover makes you wanna hurl.
Copyright © 2011 by R. Scott Bolton. All
rights reserved.
Revised:
26 Feb 2024 13:06:30 -0500
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