Artist: QUIET RIOT
Album: REHAB (CD)

Release date: 2006
Media type: CD

For a spell in the eighties, Quiet Riot were absolutely huge. Early on in the band’s history their line-up included a pre-Ozzy Osbourne Randy Rhoads, but it was 1983’s “Mental Health” that sent the American heavy metal band to the top of the charts. Yet their success was short-lived and their leader, vocalist and chief blabbermouth, Kevin DuBrow was booted out of his own band by 1986, but in truth Quiet Riot had already started to falter two years before then.

So twenty years and God knows how many legal disputes, line-up changes, brief reunions and mediocre albums later, it’s somewhat surprising to find “Rehab” amongst the new releases pile. What isn’t surprising to find however is that the record isn’t strong enough to see the band return to the top of the tree once again – but that was inevitable, after all these years it would have to be flawless. Yet whilst “Rehab” isn’t without fault – it’s not too imaginative and there are one or two too many tracks for example - that’s not to say that there isn’t a likeable charm about it. DuBrow’s vocals peak towards his distinctive and shrieking best and his ever-changing band mates (it’s as if a group of thirty musicians are playing tag) manage to conjure up a range of strong melodies. Not unusually for Quite Riot, it is a cover song that provides one of the album’s finest moments (the band have previously covered Slade’s “Cum on Feel the Noize” amongst others) and the eight minute version of Spooky Tooth’s “Evil Woman”, which features Glenn Hughes trading lines with DuBrow is a rousing way to finish the record.

Quiet Riot will find it impossible to emulate the success they had over two decades ago, that’s for certain, but in “Rehab” what they have is their most solid collection of songs since 1983’s “Mental Health” and after all the hassle in between, that’s very impressive.

TRACKLIST:

01: Free (4:06)
02: Blind Faith (3:25)
03: South Of Heaven (5:44)
04: Black Reign (4:50)
05: Old Habits Die Hard (6:17)
06: Strange Daze (4:17)
07: n Harms Way (4:37)
08: Beggars And Thieves (6:38)
09: Don't Think (4:58)
10: It Sucks To Be You (4:01)
11: Evil Woman (8:50)
12: Wired To The Moon (4:52)

LINE-UP:

Kevin DuBrow (vocals)
Frankie Banali (drums)
Tony Franklin (bass)
Neil Citron (guitars)

Guest-Musician:
Glenn Hughes (vocals # 11)