With Michael Sweet throwing out lots and lots of different side-projects when not recording or touring with Stryper I have always wondered when the rest of that band would jump into any side-projects. The answer is: Now. This thing, another project by the label Frontiers, has recruited Stryper’s rhythm section Perry Richardson (bass, ex- Firehouse) and Robert Sweet (drums). However, this project is the love-child between ex- Quiet Riot singer James Durbin and Frontiers’ go-to-guy Alessandro Del Vecchio, who also produced, mixed and mastered the whole she-bang. As the guitar player Mike Flyntz (Riot V) was recruited.
All these projects comes flying out from the label left to right but what differs here is that it was Durbin himself who reached out and wanted to make a Metal album and being part of the song-writing process and even though Del Vecchio also brought in people like Nasson (Sinner’s Blood, Chaos Magic), Marco Sivo, Bill Hudson, Giancarlo Floridia and Alan Moise, Durbin was very much a big part of the song writing process and not just a hired hand brought in to sing already written tunes. That said, Cleanbreak is still only a project and the writers involved do have their own sound that more often than not shines through, something that is also quite prominent when it comes to Del Vecchio’s productions.
Opening up with the leading single and title-track, we get an uptempo Hard Rock number with a strong, beefy punch and some classic Metal riffage that throws a not so little nod towards Dio. It’s a muscular and heavy kicker with a shattering rhythm with lots of edge and Durbin’s voice comes across perfectly here. With direct melodies intact we get a chorus that’s right in your face and sticks without going radio-friendly on us. Yeah, it’s a good tune. The following “Before The Fall” takes on a mid-paced tempo on a heavy foundation and holds a riff not a far cry from Mötley Crüe’s “Dr Feelgood”. It also brings modern day Stryper to mind but if that has anything to do with Sweet and Richardson’s involvement is unclear. It’s edgy and metal-fueled with a striking chorus on top. Good one.
The heavily Black Sabbath influenced “Dying Breed” is a dark and heavy Metal piece where the ominous main-riff has Tony Iommi written all over it. It’s still melodic enough with Richardson and Sweet carrying the tune on a robust and tight ground and the crunchy and edgy guitar-work from Flyntz gives the song a raw edge. This is a real killer. “We Are The Warriors” is a pretty straight ahead rocker with an 80’s edge and a Dokken like structure. The crunchy and ripping guitar sound gives the song a Metal twist but as a whole this is more of a plain 80’s melodic Hard Rock number. The chorus is ok but never really lifts the song properly.
“Dream Forever” starts out with tuned-down and gritty riff where both the rhythm section and the guitars comes with a darker touch but it also holds smoother and more accessible melodies that moves towards more Melodic Rock and the feeling of Del Vecchio’s involvement creeps in fast as it comes across as an unreleased edgier Edge Of Forever tune. The chorus is catchy enough but it also points towards every other Frontiers projects. It’s not bad at all but a bit too mainstream. “The Man Of Older Soul” rocks real hard and takes on a fast-tracked structure with smattering drums, pumping bass and gritty guitars classic 80’s Hard Rock with a Metal edge style. So far, so well if it wasn’t for the song being quite forgettable and standard with no real hooks to lift it.
Bordering to Speed Metal at times, “Still Fighting” is both the heaviest and fastest tune on the album. The verse brings an angrier Axel Rudi Pell to mind with a nod towards both Judas Priest and Yngwie Malmsteen when he does Metal in the solo parts. Sweet’s double bass-drum fest is a joy to hear and the razor-sharp riffage of Flyntz is splendid. I love the aggression here but it’s the prominent melodies that takes the song up another level. It’s an in-your-face classic Metal tune that kicks and bites and bumps and grinds with frenzy and a monstrous live feel. A killer tune, maybe the best effort on the whole album.
We get some melodic Metal when “The Pain Of Goodbye” shows up. It’s beefy, hard and stomping with chunky, distinct riffing with poignant melodies in both verse and refrain. It’s a heavy track but it also sports some memorable guitar-lines and a strong main melody and a chorus that hits like a sledgehammer with both grit and hooks. Very good. Latest single “Cleanbreak” takes a slower pace inside a darker soundscape with a glance at mid 70’s Hard Rock where a band like Rainbow comes to mind with its eastern flavours. The chorus takes on a faster approach with some metal-tendencies and a fabulous refrain with a bag full of catchiness. Damn good.
“Find My Way” takes a shortcut back to what we’re used to hear from the Frontiers stable nowadays – a Melodic Rock track with a crunchier vibe of Hard Rock. This straight forward and upbeat piece is a lukewarm thing, too mainstream and middle-of-the-road. The song do have a pretty catchy Dokken-esque riff but besides that this is a skipper. Unfortunately the same thing can be said of closer “No Other Hearts”, a mid-paced AOR meets Classic Rock tune written by the conveyer-belt principle. The song lacks personality and feels bland and dull. I wonder if Durbin had anything to do at all with the last two songs.
On the plus side, this album is not just another fluffy Melodic Rock/AOR project with songs that could have been used for whoever. Durbin’s involvement made sure of that, I guess. Also on the plus side, this project mostly comes across as an actual band where the musicians put some more effort in besides just playing. On the down-side the production gives the record that whole all-star project vibe – sonically it’s really no different to the rest of this label’s projects. Still, I can’t slag this record off because with a bunch of damn good tracks, I can let the production side of it slide. A competent album with potential to make a great one the next time around – if there will be a next time.
5/10
Tracklist:
1. Coming Home
2. Before The Fall
3. Dying Breed
4. We Are The Warriors
5. Dream Forever
6. The Man Of Older Soul
7. Still Fighting
8. The Pain Of Goodbye
9. Cleanbreak
10. Find My Way
11. No Other Hearts
CD & Festival reviews 