Riot - Immortal Soul

Before I start this review I’d like to make one thing clear. THIS IS HEAVY METAL! I felt the need to do this because the term Heavy Metal has become a bit blurry with all the various genres and crappy releases going on. Let’s focus on the fact that the Legendary RIOT have just returned with an album that will definitely blow your goddamn brains out of your skull. I am not exaggerating, not a bit, when I declare this one their best release after 88’s monumental  “Thundersteel”. Of course RIOT have released a series of great albums since then, but “Immortal Soul” has the essence of their greatest moments in 12 songs!
\r\nSeems that that the return of Tony Moore combined with Mark Reale’s unending inspiration managed to work miracles! The album kicks in with “Riot” and by listening to the speeding rhythm section and Moore’s high pitched voice singing, like the way he did 25 years ago in “Thundersteel” you can feel the ground tremble beneath your feel! “Still Your Man” that follows may remind you the reason why you loved songs like “Johnny’s Back” back in the day while “Crawling” and “Wings Are For Angels” makes you wanna take the CD and smash it on the face of all those who claim Heavy Metal is a basket case.
\r\nYou see RIOT didn’t “Progress” neither “enhanced their sound” like many others that label “progress” and “modern sound” their luck of inspiration and their music decadence.
\r\nI don’t think I have to say something more about the songs, the melodies or the band’s performance. “Immortal Soul” is simply AMAZING and that’s a fact. You can find out yourself just by listening to it. All I know is that it would be on my top 10 releases for 2011.
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\r\nThe power of his sword we feel….
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\r\nDimitris Karantounias\r\n