When the first track
on this "hard rock" album begins with saxophone solos and with heavy hammond
organ and no singing at all, do I start to face despair and wonder if I got the
wrong album? But this is the band Saracen and they have made a concept album with
tracks about the life and the time of the ultimate Hollywood icon Marilyn
Monroe's problematic life and her untimely death.
In the 3rd track, the Norweigan singer Issa takes care of the microphone and
lifts the ballad to a powerfull and strong track and in the following song does
the wonderfull American vocalist Robin Beck a contribution with energy, sense
and depth.
In "Who Am I" Robin does a nice and groovy rock song with the English
vocalist giant Steve Overland (FM & Overland). "Love Like a Razorblade" is a
70s song with Steve Bettney at the microphone and it contains some nice
guitar solos. "Break the Spell" is a more of a modern rock song, but I miss
Robin on the vocals in this one. "Unfinished Life" is the only track that I would
call Hard Rock, because sad to say but, all the other songs is Rock or Symphonic
Rock and therefore it's hard for me to give a high raiting for "Marilyn".
If you likes the singing from Robin Beck, this is maybe something for you or if
you are a fan of symphonic rock ballads. But for Robin's sake I won't pulverize
this album...
Best songs: "Marilyn", "Hold On", "Who Am I" and "Unfinished Life".
