JACK
STARR'S
GUARDIANS OF THE FLAME
"Under
a Savage Sky" (Crash; 2003)
Reviewed by R. Scott Bolton
Guitarist Jack Starr was formerly with Virgin Steele and fans of that band will find plenty to like here on "Under a Savage Sky."
Although far from a clone of Virgin Steele, Jack Starr's Guardians of the Flame project the same epic sound and the same bigger-than-life aura that his previous band was known for. As one might guess from the cover art, most of the songs have to do with colossal battles, mysterious conspiracies and, occasionally, love found and lost.
Everything on "Under a Savage Sky" can probably be labeled as power metal but there's a little more here as well. When Starr rips into one of his many solos, he plays as technically well and nearly as fast as Yngwie Malmsteen, and that's no small praise.
However, "Under a Savage Sky" never really breaks any new ground and, well, that's okay, too. You know what you're in for when you pick up a record featuring Jack Starr on guitar, especially when it's packaged with artwork like this one. And that's exactly what you're going to get.
Jack Starr's Guardians of the Flame: Joe Hasselvander - drums, percussion and rhythm guitar; Jack Starr - lead, rhythm and 12-string acoustic guitar; Shmoulik Avigal - lead vocals and harmony vocals; Ned Meloni - bass and B-bass.
For more information, check out http://www.jackstarr.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 © 2004 by R. Scott Bolton. All rights
reserved.
Revised: 12 Mar 2024 12:56:41 -0500.
