His background in the metal world goes way back almost two decades, having fronted
MARS: Project Driver, providing vocals for
Impellitteri and Axel Rudi Pell, but since 2000, singer
Rob Rock has fronted his own solo material, a feat much worthy for a man with such vocal skills.
The sound that encompasses his latest effort,
Holy Hell, is no short of providing melodic metal filled with anthem choruses and catchy hooks, which is provided by tracks such as "
Slayer of Souls," "
I'm a Warrior," "
Calling Angels," and the title cut providing the vibe of Savatage, the technical edge of early Fates Warning, and the occasional grittiness of Iced Earth, blended in discreet fashion to create blistering melodies. But even that is met with it's contrast with the modern day power ballad "
I'll be Waiting for You," where you will find no cheese factor present, just emotion and Rock's powerful range.
A tight band filled with an abundance of layered instrumentation of the dueling lead guitar attack from both Carl Grimmark and Daniel Hall provides the backbone for what Rock's tenor (and clear falsetto) fronts, and in a perfect world, the band created what should be tracks that we should be hearing on the radio. All of the cuts here have the hooks that all these so-called MTV faves could only dream about creating. This is music that has soul, power, and energy that could only be harnessed within the scope of a metal band. So yes, there is the balance of musicianship and songs, and it shows prominence throughout the album. He has been called the "New Voice of Melodic Rock," and
Holy Hell is proof positive that he is worthy of that title.
Written by
Hashman Friday, May 27, 2005
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