When three of the original members of Dio – guitarist Vivian Campbell, drummer Vinny Appice and bassist Jimmy Bain – decided to put Last In Line together, adding singer Andrew Freeman to the mix, it was mostly to play live and pay tribute to the late but always great Ronnie James Dio but the idea of putting an album together came to life real quick. Talk about putting some major expectations out there. The band released their debut album Heavy Crown to mixed reviews in 2016, an album that was the only record to feature Bain who passed away from cancer shortly after the release of the album. Vinny and Vivian decided to keep the band going replacing Bain with ex Ozzy/Beggars & Thieves bassist Phil Soussan.
For me personally said debut and the follow-up II (2019) were both underwhelming albums. My expectations were set high – this is after all three guys who played on and co-wrote classic albums like Holy Diver (1983), The Last In Line (1984) and Sacred Heart (1985) and Bain and Appice played on the decent Dream Evil (1987) – but the songs never reached me at all. Both albums are well-produced with damn good performances from the members but the songs lacked hooks and were for the most quite forgettable. To say I was disappointed is to put it mildly. Therefore I can’t say I have great expectations on their third effort although I still have hope.
The album opens with the latest single “Not Today Satan”, a song that opens with a slow drum pattern only for it to bring along a fierce guitar riff and the song goes heavy, pounding and beefy. It’s an old-school metal-track in the vein of old Dio but with a more modern outlook and some 70’s flirtings here and there. It’s an ok track but the chorus hides in the shadows and never really hits. Love the riff though. Lead-off single “Ghost Town” comes in a slower pace yet still rhythmic with a pumping bass and some muscular riffage. It’s a ballsy tune that again throws in some Dio vibes but also a Led Zeppelin borrowed groove. The chorus here is a step up from the opener, quite in-your-face and distinct. A pretty good tune but it still doesn’t hit bullseye.
Also a single “Bastard Son” is one rhythmic rocker, punchy and busy with an intense groove and some rowdy riffing. The song takes a big 70’s approach albeit with some 80’s Metal strikes inserted. Parts of the vocal-lines bears resemblance to Alice In Chains of all bands but the spacey intro, the middle-east guitar vibes and the closing strings screams Led Zep a long way. A meaty rhythm section, memorable melodies and a distinct chorus brings the song for the win. Very good. The 70’s and Zeppelin stays for the heavy grooved “Dark Days”. It’s a live-friendly headbanger with aggression and edgy lead vocals with a stabbing chorus that hits like a hammer. A good song.
The mid-tempo “Burning Bridges” is a sort-of-ballad that opens with a clean guitar but transfers into a fat, stompy Hard Rock groover where the verse takes an edgy route only for it to take the tempo down when the chorus comes. There’s a distinct melody hook that grabs a hold with a more melodic approach which gives the tune some memorability. Good one. “Do The Work” on the other hand might start out on a laid-back vibe with a clean, taciturn guitar but goes heavier directly with a dark riff, a late 70’s vibe and a ballsy rhythm. It’s the album’s latest single and it’s a surprising choice as the 80’s laden chorus is repetitive and pretty dull and streamlined. It just don’t lift the song at all. The verses are damn good, way better than the chorus here.
“Hurricane Orlagh” is a speedy thing with a ferocious guitar opening and a raw riff that roughs and tumbles over a stone-hard driving beat. It’s a metal-fueled number, very much in-your-face and on-your-case that will leave no time for a breather. The chorus keeps the fast tempo and comes on like kick in the jugular. It’s ok but it kinda passes by fast without leaving much of a mark. More slamming rhythms comes along with the metal-inserted hard-rocker “Walls Of Jericho”. It holds a slight modern metal approach as well as a nod to Dio’s faster affairs like “I Speed At Night” but without the likable hooks. It’s not bad but the chorus is too diffuse with no clear hooks and the whole song comes off as too standard.
On a bigger live-friendly note, the band ups the quality here with the groovy and rhythmic “Story Of My Life” with its catchy riffage, big melodies and distinct melody lines. It’s quite a plain rocker, more Hard Rock than Metal and the 80’s flirts are everywhere. It also holds the album’s strongest refrain, a refrain that really grabs a hold right from hello. This is great stuff. “We Don’t Run” is a slow burner, pretty close to a ballad albeit a heavy and dark one. It has traces of Dio’s more epic and dark stuff – think “Shame On The Night”-ish – in structure and the raw-edged guitars. The song alternates between the slow and epic and faster passages with a refrain that’s quite melodic and a sharp hook. Good one.
“Something Wicked” is plain melodic Hard Rock from the early 80’s. That said, it’s a powerhouse track, beefy and crunch-riffed with a kicking drive and Freeman’s at times growly vocals where Appice and Soussan creates a fist-on-the-jaw rhythm and a a chorus that’s tough and really striking. Good one. Closing track “House Party At The End Of The World” is pretty much Dio’s “We Rock” rewritten – riff, pace, melodies and rhythms are more or less the same even though the vocal-melodies aren’t up to par with said classic. It’s a faster track that will probably work live and it’s an ok tune but a way too obvious self-theft for comfort.
Last In Line’s third effort is easily their finest effort so far but that being said it’s not without flaws – and once again it comes down to the songs. It’s not that they’re bad by any means but most songs lacks the “it”, the same issue as on the previous albums in other words. The difference here is that the band has written a few more tracks that grabs a hold and over-all the songs are less insipid than before. Again, it needs to be said that these are super-musicians that never delivers half-assed performances and the musical work here is splendid. Freeman is also a superb singer but that goes without saying, really. I only wish that they had the song-quality that will make an album like this great instead of just good. That was what made their former band so great.
6/10
More Last In Line reviews:
Tracklist:
1. Not Today Satan
2. Ghost Town
3. Bastard Son
4. Dark Days
5. Burning Bridges
6. Do The Work
7. Hurricane Orlagh
8. Walls Of Jericho
9. Story Of My Life
10. We Don’t Run
11. Something Wicked
12 House Party At The End Of The World
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