KICK AXE – IV

Yet another comeback from the 80/s Hair Metal scene, Kick Axe returns after several years absent from rock/n roll.

The Canadian outfit delivered three major label albums in the 80/s, and toured with great names like Rush, Judas Priest, Metallica, Whitesnake, and Quiet Riot. Now, many years later, IV sees the light of day, and their very first singer, Gary Langen, is fronting this “old” rock band.

Well, does it work? Sometimes, but not too often. They come out being unlike your average 80/s Hairband, but they lack direction and substance for us to exalt this effort. The album jumps between providing good rock tunes, then shifts to pompous anthems, boring mid-tempo songs, and average slow-songs.

Kick Axe starts off pretty good, with “Right Now” and “Rockin Daze,” but in running through the album, IV is a very uneven effort. “Consolation” and “Do You Know” are too slow and get boring. Songs like “Who Says” and “Rock/n Roll Dog” suits them, on the other hand, better with their quick, catchy, and uptempo approach.

“Time” is an anthem-like tune, with some similarities to Uriah Heep/s “Lady In Black,” and it stands out as IV/s best sing-along tune. As a direct opposite with respect to genre, “Black Heart” is an “o.k.” slow song, which albums like this need.

IV might be a difficult album to dig in to, because it/s hard to understand what the band really wants. From uptempo rock tunes like “Who Says,” to bluesy slideguitar in “Who Knows Ya,” to Hammond organs in “Woe,” they lack a certain sense of direction. Showing off several sides might be a good thing, but showing lack of substance and direction is not. The balance between them is mighty hard to find most times, and Kick Axe is still working on it…