This album was recorded at the Prog Power Festival in Atlanta last September and features a comprehensive set list of the back catalogue of one of the most respected and talented singers in this genre. Pigeon-holed as Melodic Power Metal, Rob and his band belt out some fine tunes to the appreciative audience.
I have to openly admit, I am not a huge fan of live albums with one or two notable exceptions from the late 1970’s and 1980’s, but this recording gives the listener a good idea of what they can expect from the Rob Rock live experience. Featuring 11 tracks, both from his solo efforts and the Driver album, Rob gets right up there in the vocal range and hits some notes other singers would only dream of. The overall production of the album is fairly good, it does not sound as if its been beefed up or fiddled with, this appears to be the raw live experience. ‘Garden of Chaos’ powers the set list from the start, strong power metal riffage is in abundance along with the many guitar fills associated with almost virtuoso metal. You can tell that later in the set some parts of the vocals get a little lost, but then this is what live music is all about, its not clinically produced like in the studio sometimes and the opening to the crowd pleasing song ‘Rock the Earth’ is firing on all cylinders and surely would make people’s hair fly around. The vocal melodies compliment the music perfectly and feel effortless in parts with all the epic moments associated with some Iced Earth tunes.
One of my stand out songs ‘Judgement Day’ has all the crowd reaction you would expect to hear, the tracks flows well and is just made pure and simple for the live arena. Guitarists Carl Johan Grimmark (Narnia) and counterpart Peter Halgren produce some wonderful guitar work and the drumming of Tracy Shell backs up this wonderful package of a talented band. Closing track is the absolute classic Driver tune ‘I’m A Warrior’; this does sound good and completes the show perfectly.
There is not much more to say, it’s an accomplished live album as far as live albums go, any rare UK & European live shows with this band should surely not be missed. Rob Rock is one of the masters of the vocals as an instrument, and there is no sign of this man stopping his relentless talent.
http://www.robrock.com/
http://www.myspace.com/robrock1
http://www.afm-records.de
