INFERNAL OVERDRIVE (Last Rays Of The Dying Sun) CD
Hailing from Farmingdale, New Jersey, INFERNAL OVERDRIVE have no intention of changing the face of rock 'n' roll, but quite the opposite. Their debut album 'Last Rays Of The Dying Sun, released by Small Stone Records in 2012, bristles with a strong sense of tradition. Logically, INFERNAL OVERDRIVE draw influences from the golden era of hard rock and these were, of course, the 1970's. The double guitar attack of vocalist Marc Schleicher and Rich Miele truly delivers a fat and crispy sound, while the rhythm section, consisting of drummer Mike Bennett and bassist Keith Schleicher, lays down a solid foundation for the guitars.
Another strength of INFERNAL OVERDRIVE are the vocals that convince me with their casual naturality whilst simultaneously adding an emotional level to the songs. 'Last Rays Of The Dying Sun' has a very simple yet powerful production, with almost no discernible effects. But it isn't bland. It's savage in the intensity of its tone, which is hardly surprising because the album has been recorded and mixed by Andrew Schneider. The included eight songs are far from being spectacular although this does not mean that tedium prevails. Their strength lies in the grip and hooks - and there are many.
Moreover, the tracks do not follow a recurrent pattern. Just listen to the last tune 'Motor' that's clocking in at 13:44 minutes. Despite the excess length, it doesn't get boring. This is largely due to the amazing musicianship and the cool arrangement. I was particularly pleased also that INFERNAL OVERDRIVE have decided to do a cover version of Ace Frehley's 'Rip It Out'. To myself, as an old fan of 1970's KISS, it is knocking on an open door and fortunately they did a great job here. So, if you want a soulful old-school rock treat, I can imagine that you're gonna dig this album. As I said, INFERNAL OVERDRIVE aren't breaking any new ground and they wear their influences like orange prison jumpsuits, but they put it together into great, tight songs.
(KK)