US threesome RED ZONE RIDER is among the bands that many would describe as a super-group I suspect, at least for those with a bit deeper knowledge about the music scene the last 25 or so years, sporting the talents of Vinnie Moore (guitar), Kelly Keeling (vocals, bass) and Scot Coogan (drums). They released their self-titled debut album in the fall of 2014 through US label Magna Carta Records.
I don’t really know what kind of music people would expect from this new band, but I’d hazard a guess that most would not expect the kind of music that is explored here, as this is another addition to the ranks of quality bands that have decided to explore a bit in the musical legacy of the 1970’s. Unlike many other such ventures, Red Zone Rider takes on a bot more scope and depth in their excursions though, and of course the presence of Vinnie More ensures that the guitar soloing aspect of this production features details with somewhat more of a contemporary sheen to them as well.
Still, the opening two tracks explode in a pleasantly surprising manner anyhow, seeing the trio take on a classic blues-founded variety of hard rock, 70’s power trio style. With a lot of affection it would appear, as both tracks are solid and joyful creations. They leave that particular style behind after this though, not returning to it until at the very end, when final track Count’s 77 returns to this style for a nice closure kind of conclusion.
In between those opening and that concluding piece Red Zone Rider adds an organ to their sound, and takes a slight left turn into territories closer to the likes of Deep Purple. More or less. They do take a couple of more left turns, combining classic hard rock with playful funk-tinged details on a couple of occasions, and slow down into some gentler Procol Harum tinged landscapes along the way too, but there’s quite a bit of Deep Purple tinged material that dominates this production, arguably with a touch of Mountain tossed in on the brilliant Never Trust a Woman, my highlight on this album perhaps mainly due to the emotionally laden, intense vocals and guitars in the fantastic chorus section of that composition.
While I do get the impression that the band loose a bit of steam somewhere after the halfway point here, there’s no doubting that this is a very well made album, a quality production that merits a check by those who hold hard rock 1970’s style in high esteem and in particular those fond of bands exploring a sound and style similar to the likes of Deep Purple. A quality production on most levels, to be filed under vintage 1970’s hard rock and one that merits a listen by those fond of that kind of music.
My rating: 78/100
