| Musical Style: Hard Rock | Produced By: |
| Record Label: Roxx Records | Country Of Origin: Varies |
| Year Released: 2019 | Artist Website: Rainforce |
| Tracks: 4 | Rating: No Quote |
| Running Time: |
Rainforce continues on with its classic hard rock style, which it introduced to high critical and fan acclaim in April of 2017 on its Roxx Records debut full-length Lion’s Den. The same ingredients that made the 85% Angelic Warlord graded work such a success - fiery guitars, driving low end, unabashed vocals and consummate songwriting – continue to play a defining role on the multinational groups aptly entitled March of 2019 follow up 4-song EP Rock And Roll (also Roxx). Multinational in terms of how Rainforce features the same lineup to find Swiss guitarist Andy La Morte and bassist Matt Brand (Pÿlon) aligning with Maltese vocalist Jordan Cutajar (Nomad Son, ex-Pÿlon) and German drummer/keyboardist Benjamin Mann (Power Of God). The talented four piece maintains its affinity for hard rock with a seventies and eighties slant to draw upon that straightforward (sort of like Rez Band), blues based (think prime Bride) and of a high energy form (do I dare say AC/DC or X-Sinner?).
EP’s opening title track finds all the groups’ influences coming into play. With its apt ‘let’s rock and roll’ battle cry opening, “Rock And Roll” sets an earthy tone moving forward with its grainy guitar signatures (noting the transparent polish to albums production) and Cutajar proving a near dead ringer for Brian Johnson in unveiling his emotional but earthy vocal qualities (sort of like classic X-Sinner). Lyrically, Rainforce does not beat around the bush in terms of where it is coming:
The world around us is constantly changing, but…
Really good songs stay really good songs
Some things never come to an end
My faith in Christ and my love for rock and roll
“In Good Hands” ups tempo in taking the more melodic heading. No, not quite heavy as its predecessor but also with some light AOR twinges - did I just say that? - as Cutajar backs from the Brian Johnson like leanings in embracing a more blues drenched role. Smoothly flowing harmonies abound as La Morte lets loose with a scintillating stretch of lead guitar. This one allows the group to make a statement of faith:
When I’m weak, you are strong
You are by my side
You are my reality,
Like every breath I take
Your spirit is guiding me, and I trust in you
“Stay Strong” begins to several seconds of open-air guitar prior to morphing into a fiery hard rocker, further reinforcing the bluesy aspects as rhythm guitar correspondingly makes the more decided front to back statement. I particularly enjoy the undervalued classic rock sentiments not to mention the infectious anthem-like refrain. “Stay Strong” comes across in the form of a Christian rockers battle cry:
He is the courage you need
If you use it
He is the wisdom you get
For your decisions
He is the mighty watchman
When you need shelter
Stay strong…
Acoustic based closer “The Lost Sheep” is a bit outside the box (in comparison to those previous) but is solid all the same. It comes across relaxed and reserved - with harmonic lending to the full on emotion - in lyrically basing around the Parable of the Lost Sheep:
Suddenly he realizes
That there was something wrong
A little sheep has not come home
One of his sheep is lost
The Good Shepherd won’t rest
Until his lost sheep was found
Walks through every danger zone
And nothing will stop home
Calling the lost sheep by its name
Occasional rhythm guitar tinctures lend a distinct heavier rocking edge.
Rock And Roll adds up to a solid EP with each of its four tracks standing apart from the rest. Again, all aspects that made Lion’s Den a strong release emerge in the form seventies to eighties hard rocking proclivity, catchy songwriting and adept vocals and musicianship. Despite its ‘multi-national’ calling card, Rainforce sounds like a concise, well-oiled machine as opposed to a diverse unit with all its parts literally scattered worldwide. Problem, however, is that at just four songs Rock And Roll is on the truncated side. In order to better round things out, why not include a fifth or even a sixth song?
Which leads to the problematic nature as it pertains to EP’s: what is the best manner in which to assign an accurate grade? I typically grade EP’s on a tighter scale as opposed to full-length releases, keeping in mind it is easier for a band to come up with the 5 to 6 songs to grace a typical EP as opposed to the 9 or 10 commonly found on a full length. The grading scale tightens even further for EP’s with four songs or less to the extent I prefer to ‘No Quote’ them instead. In other words, any recording with such few songs can be acquainted to a musical hors d'oeuvre- just enough music to wet your appetite but nowhere near as filling as a full length release!
Review by Andrew Rockwell
Track Listing: “Rock And Roll” (3:11), “In Good Hands” (4:26), “Stay Strong” (4:39), “The Lost Sheep” (3:27)
Musicians
Jordan Cutajar - Lead Vocals
Andy La Morte - Guitars
Matt Brand - Bass
Benjamin Mann - Drums
