Album: Riot
Title: Immortal Soul
Type: Album
Label: SPV

Riot are back with their first new album in five years...and it’s an absolute monster! Guitarist Mark Reale might be the only member remaining from the band’s formation in 1976 but Immortal Soul features the complete 1990 Privilege Of Power line-up which keeps things more than relevant. So, it’s Mark Flyntz joining Reale on guitars, the much travelled Bobby Jarzombek behind the kit, Don Van Stavern on bass and the incomparable Tony Moore on vocals. Moore in particular sounds superb throughout Immortal Soul, giving the performance of his career without a doubt.

Now personally I don’t think I’ll ever be able to rate a Riot album higher than ‘81s magnificent Fire Down Under, but that doesn’t mean that I’ve been blind to the quality of some of the band’s post Guy Speranza/Rhett Forrester (both sadly missed, R.I.P.) power metal output – with both Thundersteel and the excellent live album Shine On especially impressing. Now I can add Immortal Soul to that list. It’s rare to come across such a consistent album, bursting at the seams with great, blood-stirring, majestic metal tracks. With every song that passes I’m jotting the title down as one I simply must mention as an album highlight – there just isn’t a weak track to be found. ‘Whisky Man’ captures the spirit of Riot’s early days, ‘Still Your Man’ features an irresistibly huge melodic chorus, ‘Crawling’ peaks with a quite brilliant solo and ‘Riot’...well fittingly this song just has everything and is one of the band’s best ever. It sparks into life with an absolutely classic, high speed Mark Reale riff and then explodes with more energy and power than any number of the young bands that have followed in Riot’s footsteps combined. ‘Sins Of The Father’ and ‘Wings Are For Angels’ are immaculately constructed and...well, like I said it’s all just bloody brilliant.

The best Riot album since at least Privilege Of Power. I just hope they finally garner some of the success and recognition that they have deserved for so long.

http://www.riotrockcity.com

Chris Kee

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