| Musical Style: Melodic Metal/Hard Rock | Produced By: Adam Lee Kemp & Loren Holmquist |
| Record Label: Roxx Records | Country Of Origin: USA |
| Year Released: 2018 | Artist Website: |
| Tracks: 12 / 12 | Rating: 80% / 95% |
| Running Time: 49:49 / 50:47 |
Few bands so aptly embody the eighties melodic metal aesthetic - pop influenced catchy hooks and the image to go hand in hand - as does Crystavox. A San Diego, California based four piece tracing its history to defunct local bands Evidence and Private Echo, Crystavox came together when vocalist Adam Lee Kemp and drummer Fred Helm (drawn from the former) joined forces with bassist Loren Holmquist (latter). Later bringing guitarist Tony Lopez into the fold, Crystavox recorded a four-song demo in 1989 entitled Wear It Out, which led to a contract with Regency Records and its self-titled debut from 1990. Sophomore album The Bottom Line followed two years later on Ocean Records.
Whereas Crystavox disbanded shortly thereafter and remained on the sidelines the better part of twenty years, its third album materialized when the master tapes for its first two surfaced in a Burbank, California warehouse. Enter Roxx Records, whom released in 2010 the aptly entitled The 20 Year Mix to feature four songs off Crystavox and eight from The Bottom Line, each of which the group re-mastered and partially re-recorded. Gist was (in the bands own words) ‘a brand new Crystavox with songs that are current and mixed using today’s technology. It’s like hearing the songs like they were recorded last week and released on radio’.
Fast forward to the summer of 2018, and Roxx Records again enters the picture, having re-mastered (courtesy of Rob Colwell of Bombworks Sound) Crystavox and The Bottom Line and re-issued each on limited edition CD and for the first time vinyl. Scott Waters of No Life Til Metal credits for the updated cover art remaining true to the original in addition to the glossy lyric sheet insert (vinyl) and 8-page mini booklet with lyrics and credits (CD). Attributing to each CD version are two bonus tracks from The Twenty Year Mix.
Cannot say I am the biggest Crystavox fan in that over the years I rarely if ever revisited Crystavox and The Bottom Line due to production I found on the muddy side. That, however, all changes with the Roxx Records re-issue from breathing new life into both albums from re-mastering that cleans and tightens things up significantly. As a result, I began listening to each on a consistent basis for the first time, and rediscovered a pair of musical gems in the process! Similar to the type of improvements made on The Twenty Year Mix, songs now better stand apart individually, with stronger hooks revealed in the overall bigger sound and higher energy band performance overall.
Musically, whereas I could offer a ‘who’s who’ list of well-known bands from the time as points of reference, it would suffice to suggest Crystavox walks a fine line between eighties influenced melodic metal and AOR tinged melodic hard rock. One name deserving mention in terms of comparison is Whitecross, the least of not which being how Crystavox also writes real good songs but that vocally Adam Lee Kemp reminds of Whitecross front man Scott Wenzel, even if subtly. Yes, Lee Kemp is his own vocalist - by no means does he do the Stephen Pearcy (Ratt) sound alike thing - but he also brings a somewhat similar middle register soulful laced with heartfelt grit vocal style.
Rather than forcing the reader to endure separate track-by-track breakdown reviews of each album - not to mention forcing the longsuffering reviewer to write them! - I felt it would work better to instead combine Crystavox and The Bottom Line into a single review and devote several paragraphs to both.
Crystavox
It is one thing for a band to possess the ability to play, which Crystavox no doubt does in spades, but it an entirely different matter to compose high quality material, which it aptly demonstrates on what amounts a musically mature debut in Crystavox.
Album opens to two of its better cuts in “Sacrifice” and “Power Games”. I like to define former as up-tempo melodic metal in similar vein as Stryper and Dokken with big hooks galore and every bit polished backing vocals, and latter mid-tempo hard rock pointing to a worshipful ‘all hail to the Lord and King, Lift up your voice and sing’ refrain and Lopez’ neo-classical lead guitar playing. Further enhancing the two is the sass and snarl to Lee Kemp’s vocal delivery.
Lone track potentially lending to filler territory is the fast paced “Wear It Out”, failing to build as it should from an all too brief two and a half minute track time, while better is ensuing cut “Turn It On” as a Guardian meets Van Halen party rocker embodying a catchy mentality and assertive energy to match. You’ve got to love the ‘doody-bop-doody bop-doody-bop-diddy’ harmony vocals ending the song (sort of like those at the mid-point to Stryper’s “Together Forever”).
Closing albums first half is showstopper ballad “Home Again”, as an even melding of acoustic guitar and glossy backing vocals collide with a melody reminiscent to that of the White Lion hit “When The Children Cry”. FM radio- where were you back in the day?
Starting the second is “All The Way”, a first class arena rocker impelled by besetting guitars and full on catchy melodies (it would fit right in on To Hell With The Devil) and “It’s All Right (To Rock & Roll)”, blues driven metal to hard rock underlined by weighty bass guitar and every bit generous doses of melody (think prime Bride). Lopez adorns each with added stretches of flashy lead guitar.
Closing things are three songs that while not quite on the same level are still good nonetheless. “All Around The World” touches upon AOR-ish hard rock with its polished upbeat inclining, while “Never Give In” elevates heaviness and slows tempo in approaching straightforward metal territory. “Tough Boys” ends things as another forward piece but with guitars that bring to mind Def Leppard.
As for bonus material, “Home Again” maintains its ballad vestiges but with a stronger bluesy edge and “Power Games” the same heavy rocking mentality but with further emphasis on the pop based.
Final verdict: A solid debut from a talented band that hints of the potential it would fulfill on The Bottom Line adds up to 80%.
The Bottom Line
No sophomore jinx for Crystavox as The Bottom Line finds it making significant steps and strides musically in presenting with literally great song after great song and delivering a near classic in the process. It begins with opener “The Big Picture”, high energy driven its three and a half minutes in playing up an underpinning groove basis while setting the stage for the brilliance to follow.
Ensuing is “Breakdown The Wall”, powerhouse riff driven for its slower verses but double kick drum impelled throughout its victoriously upbeat refrain, and “Rise Up”, rough and tumble with its grit driven bluesy guitar focus and soulful vocal aspects from Lee Kemp. One cannot deny the professionalism in terms of execution and performance either way.
Likewise, with closing first half cuts “Snakes In The Grass” and “Stick To Your Guns”. Former begins to a bass solo only to turn into a mid-paced mauler revealing an imposing low-end presence but lightened with distant vocal melodies, while latter further plays up the bluesy leanings to prodigious bass and more forward thinking tempo. If anything the two serve to highlight the abundant Crystavox musicianship.
Second half opener is “Paradise” with a crystalline keyboard intro that gives way to a speed metal like tempo to feature thrash like guitars (for the snarling verses) and contrastingly lighter touches of church organ (backing the catchy chorus). “Cry Out” follows as an expedition hard rocker, albums shortest at three minutes but upholding similar levels of tempestuous energy and stick to you like glue refuse to go away hooks.
“Shame” is first of what in my opinion are albums two best tracks. Taking a glossy melodic hard rock heading, it delivers a ton of mid-paced class with its amalgamating of accenting keyboards and profound melody that back in the day would lend to potential radio/MTV play. “Rockin’ In A Hard Place” fades in to acoustic guitar that soon joins with up-tempo rhythm guitars, with a momentous environs prevailing the rest of the way as full on emotion and another definitive melody set the distinct tone.
Ending the album is one final above the line cut in “No Boundaries”, a darker ballad home to acoustic guitar, orchestration and elements of the worshipful.
In terms of bonus tracks, “Stick To Your Guns” comes across heavier with the same pronounced bluesy bent, while “No Boundaries” further leans towards the ballad like in not straying from the worshipful feel to the original (by no means a bad thing).
Final verdict: As fine a melodic metal and hard rock album you will hear, equates to a well-deserved 95%.
Summary
Give credit to Roxx Records for re-issuing a pair of albums in Crystavox and The Bottom Line that tragically I overlooked back in the day, with the re-mastering providing a much-needed facelift to both. Fans of eighties influenced melodic metal and hard rock no doubt will find either up to standard, although I prefer The Bottom Line with its superlative songwriting, but by no means overlook Crystavox from also featuring its share of choice moments. Long-term Crystavox fans, of course, will delight at having both albums available on vinyl for the first time.
Review by Andrew Rockwell
Track Listing (Crystavox): “Sacrifice” (3:49), “Power Games” (4:22), “Wear It Out” (2:42), “Turn It On” (4:15), ‘Home Again” (4:53), “All The Way” (4:07), “It’s All Right (To Rock & Roll)” (4:14), “All Around The World” (3:18), “Never Give In” (4:15), Tough Boys” 4:29), “Home Again” (4:53), “Power Games” (4:32)
Musicians
Adam Lee Kemp - Lead Vocals
Loren Holmquist - Rhythm Guitar & Keyboards
Tony Lopez - Lead Guitar
Fred Helm - Drums
Track Listing (The Bottom Line): “The Big Picture” (3:33), “Break Down The Wall” (4:43), “Rise Up” (5:00), “Snakes In The Grass” (3:44), “Stick To Your Guns” (3:40), “Paradise” (4:47), “Cry Out” (2:59), “Shame” (4:41), “Rockin’ In A Hard Place” (5:48), “N Boundaries” (3:59), “Stick To Your Guns” (3:56), “No Boundaries” (3:58)
Musicians
Adam Lee Kemp - Lead Vocals & Keyboards
Loren Holmquist - Rhythm Guitar, Bass & Keyboards
Tony Lopez - Lead & Rhythm Guitar
Fred Helm - Drums & Percussion
Additional Musicians
George Ochoa - Lead Guitar (on “Paradise”)
Brent Ford - Bass (on “Paradise” & “Stick To Your Guns)
Jamie Rowe - Additional Vocals (“No Boundaries)
