Having a style
of music that hints at the ilk of Badlands, Jeff Beck, Lynrd Skynrd and Led
Zeppelin, this self-titled debut has a strong 1970s Hard Rock feel to it. Very
Bluesy stuff. And very classy too.
Red Zone Rider
(RZR) brings together the talent of bassist/lead vocalist/keyboardist Kelly
Keeling (Baton Rouge, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, MSG, Erik Norlander, Lynch Mob),
drummer Scot Coogan (Ace Frehley, Lita Ford, Brides Of Destruction) and guitar
wizard Vinnie Moore (solo, UFO, Alice Cooper). The outcome of this union is
nothing short of impressive.
Vinnie Moore’s
guitar tends to give the songs a modern touch and one can easily draw
comparisons between RZR and his work with UFO. Vinnie sounds effortlessly
amazing here but quite frankly I wouldn’t have expected anything else from a
guitarist of his calibre. Kelly Keeling’s singing feels just right for these
songs and I loved his vocal phrasings. It seems quite clear that all three band
members have hit it off quite well.
Amidst this
ensemble of great songs are…..the soulful ’There’s A Knowing’ with a guitar and
keyboard interaction that reminded me of Uriah Heep of yore; ‘Hit The Road’
which is so infectiously groovy; ‘Count’s 77’ that sounded like an amalgam of
upbeat Kiss numbers from the 1970s.
An excellent
sound, great songs, sublime musicianship…..”Red Zone Rider” is a winner.
Album
trailer:
