first off Lebon's reviews are getting so much better. Even the song you didn't cream for(DeLeo) was spared the ohh so hidious "boring", so I enjoyed reading your review BTW, I used the same formatt of your song and atrist titles.......Now.....Here comes mine.
1.
Burning Like Fire by Dave Rodgers Feat. Alex De Rosso [A-Beat-C]
AbeatC starts off this new cd and what a nice surprise. Intros are what really draw me to a song and here Dave provides a rather catchy and appropriate one. I guess I should give credit to Alex who provides those very melodic guitar riffs. His style really has a taste of Nordic Metal. Still the real star here is Giancarlo. His vocals sound the best that they have in years. He sounds polished and refined in his tone. I hope this means he has gained a rebirth of love for his work. I would love to hear a new Powerful T. song while he is on this high. The comment about the song needing a few bpms works both ways. In a way a slight addition of speed could provide a more adrenalined start for the cd, but on the other side of the coin, the slower bpms really make the song a standout and an instant classic. This could easily be a hit during the 90's as well. Finally I have to add that it is refreshing to get an AbeatC song with a extended of over 5 mins. I thank the incredible break in the middle for that.
10-/10
2.
Ultra Mi-Ha Deluxe by Project 2 [Go Go's Music]
You can add another notch to the list of songs a really love from GoGos labels. I still sometimes wanna reach for some ear muffs everyTIME Mari starts yelling into the mike, but thankfully the high percentage of the vocal work went to Leo, who provides the atmosphere of the song and sings with the same amount of passion as he did in Runaway. As always ,the intro needs to pull me into the song and this intro not only does that, but sucks me right into it's heart. The riff is perhaps one of the strongest I've heard in GoGo's music, because it sounds like Oliva is pounding on the synths and that is music to my ears. Kudos for leaving the "airy" synths on the mixing room floor. I still think WTF everyTIME I hear the bridge & chorus. I guess the song is about some TV station. What's next? A song about a Eurobeat website? May E.P Prime.LOL! Anyway, where the lyrics lose me, the melody finds its way into my Eurobeat heart.
9-/10
3.
King Of The World by David Dima [Dima]
Yes!! More pounding on the synths, but before that, lets spend some TIME praising the intro. I have to say there is magic in it's buildup from it's very first lines to the commanding synth riff and finally the fusing of the aggresssive guitars. This is DIMA at his finest hour. I'm still amazed at Save a Prayer, but damn, this man can dish out one tasty followup. Easily one of the top 3 best tracks on this cd. Any chorus with the first being "king" is bound to sound extra powerful just cause of the pronunciation itself. This song reminds me so much of Dima's classic at TIME called "King Of The Night" Another thing Dima does is capture the essence of what a song with the title King Of The World should sound like. The lyrics lack a tad of imagination as words like protection, connection, and reaction kinda sound like they were pulled out of a hat. Infact the second couplet of the second verse is exactly the same as the one in verse one. This doesn't cause any points loss, because the melody is beyond epic and because of that dynamite insertion of guitars in the third verse and of course DIMA sounds so great he could sing the words to a commercial jingle and make that sound good.
10/10
4.
Stop City Lover by Derreck Simons [Go Go's Music]
This is what I like about this song. It's a Thomas Marin song, without sounding like a Mega NRG Man rehash. I remeber when songs like TNT, Take My Heat and More Than A Feeling, though all sung by Thomas had a different style to them. His vocal tone sounds a tad high than usual, but that is exactly what he needed to add that extra punch to his new material and I'm glad someone at GoGo's took it into account. As mentioned before, it's a damn catchy sing a long tune. The Devil in disguise line is a perfect close to a chorus and it sounds even better when showcased in the intro. The verses go by pretty quickly kinda like a HRG Attack song, then the small breakdown appears in the bridge with a little Domino magic, before ripping into that tremendously wicked chorus. Infact the whole song goes by pretty quickly, but with a very long lasting sing a long effect that leaves the listener craving for more.
9+/10
5.
Hurricane Man by Gold-Rake [Eurogrooves]
Wow! I mean WOW!! This is by far the star of the cd. The intro gots the hurrican feel to it and I dare say a splice of HG Attack in that groovy guitar. First we have some wicked shoutouts readying the listener for what could be Iron Man part 2. Now we have Elena making a vocoder appearence and she is being backed up by some type of aggresssive sounding bells which just added more flava to the groove. The chorus tease is is always present and by the TIME we reach the actual riff, we already have almost 1 minute of Dall Ora magic without a single lyric. This riff is powerful enough to stop a pace maker. Fast, Wicked, and aggresssive enuff to suit the vocals of Christian De Leo. Now what we have here is a song with some "Super Love Super Action" Lyrical dimension that would make even Gino Caria jealous. Almost everyline is full of boastfull, narcasistic vibes that only Dall Ora can dream up. The bridge itself is probly the nastiest double meaning lyrics in a while. "Taste my force, tastye my body taste me"ah..I wonder what Mike Jay would think? The chorus, with it's "Jungle Man" and "Superman" shoutouts, screams for a parapara routine. I have to again praise the break. It's short, but powerful enuff to carry out the rest of the song, which incedently mangaes to fuse Eurogrooves most romantic female style with it's most aggresive malke artist. This all happens in the last chorus right before it all comes to an epic outro.
10++++++
6.
Save Another Day For Me by De Leo [Time]
Haha! Mr. Dall Ora takes another SCP riff and and redinfines it into a more powerful and aggresssive sounding classic. He aslo magaed to make a Pamsy riff appropriate for a Mr. M. song. Fisrt thing we notice is that Chris is back, so I'm in Eurogroove heaven right now. The intro has a Kasanova feel to it, but soon after takes it's own course as the chorus tease showcases the kind os powerful track we are about to encounter. I still can't beleive this is the riff to the "One Touch" song. It totally adds another dimension of meloncholic genious to the track. I can almost anticipate Gambogi making a special appearence, but infact we again get Elena, who is best heard in the third couplet in the third chorus. That third chorus really penetrates and reminds the listener that this is indeed a De Leo sung track...and the break..channels all the Dall Ora magic that was heard in the already classic Valentin's Day- By Angie Sweet. By the TIME the track comes to an end .the listener will surly feel like they just came out of the TIME Spa. Out of breath and craving the next listen. Amazing how we get two killer outros on this cd from Mr. Dall Ora.
10/10
7.
Don't Belong by Mari- San[Go Go's Music]
Ok get your torches ready cuz I'll probly be burned at the stake for this review. My only hope is for one of Dall Ora's superhuman deities to come and save me
Mari-San...where to begin? How about the intro, which is the only part I liked from the song. Right from it's music box to the part right before the riff, then it all goes to downhill for me. The riff it'self is powerful enough to stand on it's own without the earscreeching yelling of Mari- San. Seldom do Eurobeat vocalist do this kinda annoying yelling. The reason being ,because it sounds so un Eurobeat and actually boarders on the thin line of those older Real Mcoy and C.O.R.O.N.A songs from the mid 90's that I for one, detest to this day. Even when she tries to use the same Leo River effect in the chorus, it sounds too forced to believe...and to my surprise I never thought I'd say that I didn't enjoy the Woa Woa's in a Eurobeat song. Like I said the song's melody is strong enuff and probly would have worked wonders for me if Domino sang it, but as it stands I could easily edit this song from intro to outro and leave out all the middle for a good song for my liking. Sorry Mari, it's not the music ,it's your over the top ridiculously DIVA sounding vocals that turn me off and since the vocals are an essential part of a song for me.... Epic Fail!
3-/10
8.
Rock You by Mad Max [Delta]
Hot Damn! This tune has been growing on me ever since I heard it. It's been around for about a month and I'm more addicted to it than ever. It had everything to do with the fact that it was so short, that I played it numorous TIMEs untill it won me over. It's a Mad Max song if ever there was one. Laurent fuses the old and new style of Mad Max. The riff is sweet and so full of Italo magic. It immediatley reminded me of the very first Claudio sung Mad Max tune. I'm speaking of Don't Break My Heat. I can still remeber the magic that song provided. This round the magic is delivered from the ever so talented Roberto Gabrielli and if anything it shows in the Italo flavoured riff and to top it off we have yet another tune with a righous outro.ROCK!
10/10
9.
Monsters Ready by Fastway [SCP]
The adrenaline high that Rock You provided is taken down a few notches by this new Fastway song. Not a bad song at all. Infact one of the better offerings from a Fastway solo appearence in a while. The intro wastes no TIME in delivering the goods and we get the usual SCP style shoutouts, which are still miles away from TIMEs aggressive style, but work for this song. The lyrics are odd to me, as I don't get the eerie feeling the song is supposed to provide. Calling them li'l monsters doesn't help iether. Again I can't overlook the fact that Fastway sounds pretty damn good and it adds alot of points to my final grade. In particular the bridge which for one reason or another reminds me of Old Skool Fastway style, like Space Love. The whole synth buildup gives me that vibe and since that's one of my favourite Fastway tunes, this similiar formula is refreshing to hear. This song also provides a pretty sweet outro, specifically the final cymbal.
9/10
10.
I Will Survive by Megan [SinclaireStyle]
Lately I put my guard up for Sinclaire, but this TIME he provides a rather catchy melody. His style has really improved from the horrendous first showing of Niko. The soundworlds are sounding higher in bass and trebel and the competition is really starting to show. This sounds like a song he could have produced at DELTA studios. Cherry could have easily sung this. As of now Megan is sounding extremely well as a vocalist. My only gripe would be the echoish ourto. Not exactly the most powerful effect I've heard on this cd.
8-/10
11.
Shine by Mister Max [Saifam]
Maybe I'm getting a little fussed up about Saifams soundworlds, especially the high trebel in the riffs, but I still love the sounds in the verses and bridge. The instrumental composition of the riff layered with a the rehashing of KISS's "I Was Made For Loving You" doesn't really "shine" this TIME around. It's actually a riff melody that ASIA used in quite a few songs in the 90's, but some how the percussion gets lost in this song. You can hear some nice drum effects trying to break out , but kinda get drowned out behind all the trebel. it's nice to hear another male vocalist take the mic, instead of Mauro, but as sit here listening to this song for the 5 TIME in a row, I can't help thinking that Mauro would have added more character to the lyrical compostion. As of now it sits nicly inbetween this Megan and the next "spooky" entry.
8/10
12.
Kooky Spooky by Scream Team [SCP]
It's nice to see SCP being able to recapture the magic of SCream Team. So it's Irene huh? Why Not Pamsy? Anyway, the Halloween vibe is definatley more present on this offering than the previous entry from Fastway. The haunted house organ is perfectly showcasing that eerie Vincent Pryce"Thriller" like speech. So far so good, now we get an incredibly catchy riff. So lets see how Irene does in Pamsy's shoes. Ahhh.. She sounds very eerie in the way she sings those verses. I can imagine a band harpies backing her up. She sounds really good when she holds those notes to give it that spooky feel. The male shoutouts work wonderfully just as in Horror Fantasy. I wouldn't say this song surpasses that classic, but comes damn close and Irene is the perfect choice to fill in Trancy's Pamsy's absence. I know I know, why havn't a mentioned the lyrics? Yes they are silly, but only the ooky suky parts, the rest are perfect for Halloween. Zombies, Skeletons, mummies. What more can I ask for. Here is my question? Do the Japanese even celebrate Halloween? BTW Irene? sounds "Delicious" in her raspy vocals during the bridge.Outro Outro...BOO! nice
9+/10
13.
Wild Boy Bad Love by Joe Banana [Hi-NRG Attack]
So I'm listening to this song more than others today. I have to admit ,the part that usually draws me into the song; the intro is so very lacking in imagination and goes by too fast to even try to appriciate, but by the TIME the riff starts; it grabs a hold of me like any other HRG song before. It will probly grow on me like RIMSP intro did, but right now I'm still waiting. What I love are the lrics and chorus more than RIMSP. Funny enough, the intro sounds better as a break than it did in the intro. The song is definatly craving for some repeat action , but comon why not something from the Trail Blazers compilation or some Laura Vox. HRG has some really amazing music in the catalog that for some reason gets passed over by AVEX.
9/10
14.
Special Megamix ~Speedy~ by DJ Ken-Bow
again wasted space IMOP. especially at the end of the cd. What is the real point of AVEX adding these chorus only mixes. The only positive part is that Hurrican Man starts off the mix , but other than that...comon AVEX ,you can stick in one more song in those extra 10 minutes,can't you?
no rating.Waste of space.
All in All the cd is really great and close to 179 territory. The only downfall is the song "Don't belong", because I feel it just "Don't belong" on this cd. The rest of the labels did extremely well. EuroGrooves and DIMA never cease to amaze me, but SCP did. I have no complaints with HRG, because I'm enjoying so many other new material from them. DELTA and SAIFAM provided allready heard material, but I rediscovered Rock You on this compilation. Finally Dave got it 100 % right.
