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5 – The album is excellent, it could also be considered perfect or
near perfect. There may be a few glitches or setbacks, but they are not
detrimental. |
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5/5
In 1998 Quiet Riot got the Metal Health line-up together, that is with a little help from Marilyn Manson who requested the band get back together for one night to play at his birthday party. They did and the reunion didn’t end that night, in fact it lead to the recording of an album that featured new material and re-recorded versions of some of the classics. The album was Alive and Well and it failed to generate the attention that QR wished it would have, and the tour wasn’t the cash earner that the Motley Crue or Poison reunion was. Eventually old demons surfaced and Carlos Cavazo ran screaming out the back door and Rudy Sarzo’s controlling demeanor lead to him being asked to leave the group. Then came the Guilty Pleasures album that fizzled and the band call it quits.
Drummer Frankie Banali and singer Kevin Dubrow kept the faith and shortly after disbanding they hit the road with Alex Grossi and Chuck Wright (House of Lords, ex-Quiet Riot) in tow for a summer tour. Quiet Riot has since changed bass and guitar players once more but put together a solid effort in Rehab. Rehab has a number of great moments in the 11 tracks, for example there’s the blues, and gospel by way of hard rock track “Old Habits Die Hard,” which has a fanatic groove, great harmonica section and the female background vocal is a sweet accent. Then there is a cover of “Evil Woman,” which the classic rock fans will know as a track that Spooky Tooth recorded back in the day. Quiet Riot have always had a knack for picking the “right” cover song, whether it’s for a million selling album or for a multiple seller, they’ve struck gold again with “Evil Woman.” I love the vocal sparring match between Kevin Dubrow and Glenn Hughes; it’s a complete pleasure for the listener. “South of Heaven,” sounds like the entire track was based around a Banali drum piece, it’s a stellar rock track, there’s “Free,” the heaviest and most modern rock track on the album that also crosses into metal territory, bass is provided by former Firm and Blue Murder bass player Tony Franklin, he absolutely smokes, and “Blind Faith,” a Banlai/Dubrow/Hughes penned song, this collaboration is pure magic and probably the biggest departure from what we’ve come to expect from Quiet Riot, still it features the strong chorus, killer melody and the Dubrow swagger. Rehab is a solid album, which should be the biggest seller of the band’s career, but realistically there are times when success isn’t measured by units sold but by effort. Quiet Riot has that in spades with Rehab.