Musical Style: Melodic Metal	Produced By: Straightway
Record Label: Platinum	Country Of Origin: USA
Year Released: 1989	Artist Website:
Tracks: 6	Rating: 70%
Running Time: 20:33

Straightway gives prominence to strong lead vocals, solid musicianship and decent songs, but the production to its 1989 six song EP Black Or White is not refined as some albums from ‘white metal’ contemporaries of the time.  This should not surprise in light of the fact Black Or White - consisting of four full-length songs, a short instrumental and joke rap rock piece - was self-financed by the group and independently released via its Platinum Records label, so a certain element of production thinness is expected.  Previously the Houston, Texas based melodic metal and hard rock act debuted in 1987 with its Remixed Demo (in which both of its songs were rerecorded for Black Or White) ensued by the 1988 six song EP One Way To Heaven (including two that later appeared on Black Or White).

Album opens to its made for radio title track - noting the MTV ready video the group recorded for the song (embedded below) - delivering expected goods in the form of grounded rhythm guitar, unfaltering hooks, polished vocal melodies and blazing guitar leads.  “Black Or White” otherwise highlights the mid-ranged abilities to lead vocalist David Walton, who reminds somewhat of Phil St. Vincent (Eternal Ryte).  Lyric snippet:

Looking around you there's a question we all know
Its not about a lover or your favorite tv show
The question is so simple seems that everyone should see
The question is as we well know where we spend eternity

Black or white
Wrong or right
Blind or sight
Chose what's right

“Come Back” follows in similar form, albeit at the faster tempo.  A bit more aggression realizes in the process, pointing to the intrepid ‘come back to Jesus’ refrain, but also corresponding levels of gloss, revealed in the groups undiluted vocal melodies.  Instrumental run briefly descends to piano ahead of Doug Middleton cutting loose with his invigorating lead guitar.  Lyric snippet:

We were created to live our lives
To walk in His glory and rule by His side
But something happened - we turned away
We decided to live our lives our own way

But God loves us so much
That He gave His own Son
To die on the Cross so that the battle was won
Come back to Jesus

Instrumental "Intro In C# Minor", consisting of thirty seconds of classically influenced keyboards and guitar, precedes fourth song ”Wounded Heart”.  What we have is one of albums heaviest, condensed rhythm guitar merges with Mark Walton’s lifted bass, and most ably performed, song decelerates to graceful harmonies ahead of the melodic soloing driven instrumental run.  All the while, glinting keyboards accent the backend.  Lyric snippet:

A wounded heart
Cries of pain may sound the same
A wounded heart
God hears all, He’s never far away

If I die before I wake
I pray the Lord my soul to take
A wounded heart
God hears all, He’s never far away

“Christ Is King” combines AOR and melodic hard rock.  In terms of former, tempered verse sections course to reserved rhythm guitar and soothing keyboards; from standpoint of latter, the shouted backing vocals muscling the assertive refrain articulate the emphatic.  This one would sound at home on 1988 fourth Bloodgood album Rock In A Hard Place.  Lyric snippet:

When I was young I never knew
What life was all about
Until I met the King of Kings
He turned my life around

He pointed me in the right direction
And told me what to do
Put your faith in Christ the Saviour
Jesus died for you

Closing cut "Don't Even Swerve" is a minute and half, humorous rap-laden rock number that, as far as I can tell, the band (which obviously does not take itself too seriously) added to fill space.  Similar to other ‘joke songs’ such as “Chipped Beef” from Deliverance (off What A Joke from 1991), it leaves a fun first impression but you end up skipping on subsequent listen.  I would much rather the group included another melodic hard rocker.

If the albums four full-length cuts are any indicator of its abilities, Straightway shows great promise for any full-length follow up project it might record.  Vocals, musicianship and songs are in place to create a work on similar levels as the best from Angelica (self-titled), Holy Soldier (self-titled) and Leviticus (Setting Fire To The Earth).  Sadly, it was not meant to be in that Black Or White is the last we heard from Straightway.  Best scenario at this point would be to re-master and reissue Black Or White with the group’s first two demos and any unreleased material sitting in the vault. 

Review by Andrew Rockwell

Track Listing: "Black Or White" (4:33), "Come Back" (3:59), "Intro In C# Minor" (:36), "Wounded Heart" (4:42), "Christ Is King" (5:09), "Don’t Even Swerve" (1:31)

Musicians
David Walton - Lead Vocals & Keyboards
Doug Middleton - Guitars
Mike Locke - Guitars
Mark Walton - Bass
Damon Tankersley - Drums