Vengeance-Crystal Eye

 

Dutch band Vengeance,formed over 30 years ago by vocalist Leon Gowie  has assembled an impressive band line up to record their 9th studio album Crystal Eye due to be released on Feb 27th 2012  by Steamhammer/SPV records. Vengeance probably will not be mentioned in  the same breath as current super groups like Chickenfoot or Black Country Communion but with a line up that includes Chris Slade (ex ACDC) on drums,Keri Kelli (ex Alice Cooper) on guitar and Chris Glen (ex MSG),there is a lot of pedigree here!

Crystal Eye was produced by Michael Voss who co-wrote the album with Leon Gowie apart from the title track,written by former Vengeance guitarist Arjen Lucassen: Whole Lotta Metal was written by Tony Martin (ex Black Sabbath vocalist)  and the closing track on the album,Jan’s End Piece consists of the last guitar solos by Jan Somers,Vengeance guitarist who passed away just over a year ago. His son Timo contributes guitar work on Crystal Eye.

Apart from Jan’s End Piece,the album contains 7 hard rock/ metal songs and 3 power ballads,bolstered by a crisp production by Michael Voss. The vocal style of Leon Gowie  is similar to Udo Dirkschneider/Bon Scott and  is most noteworthy on the shout it out loud chorus of opener Me And You,the lurid Five Knuckle Shuffle,the soaring Promise Me and the classic Rainbow esque title  track.

Lyrically,the album is “fist in the air shout it out metal” which fit in with the huge drums of Chris Slade and guitar  riffs from Keri Kelly,Timo Somers and Arjen Lucassen.

Track Listing :-

Me And You.

Bad To The Bone.

Barbeque.

Shock Me Now.

Five Knuckle Shuffle.

Desperate Woman.

Whole Lotta Metal.

Promise Me.

Crystal Eye.

Missing.

Jan’s End Piece.

 

Crystal Eye band line up :-

Leon Gowie-Vocals.

Chris Slade-Drums.

Keri Kelli-Guitar.

Chris Glen-Bass.

Timo Somers-Guitar.

 

I award Crystal Eye 9/10.

 

About Dennis Jarman

Full time downtrodden album/gig reviewer and part time rock God!