THE RODS – Vengeance

It’s commonplace after a layoff/hiatus for a band to be noticeably rusty when they reunite. In most cases it takes a monumental effort to get back to previous form, though usually not for lack of effort. With The Rods, not only do they come back with that rust knocked off, they do so with a “vengeance” — hence the title by the same name (and the play on words perhaps). The fact is after a quarter of a century, the band has picked up where they left off without missing a beat. In listening to this latest release, no rustiness is evident. The new material is strong and powerful, polished, extremely tight, and smacks you in the face.

The Rods are still intact with the original members … a talented trio of musicians from upstate New York. David “Rock” Feinstein (guitar, vocals), Garry Bordonaro (bass, vocals), and Carl Canedy (drums, vocals — a.k.a. “Danny Aiello” in disguise), are the three guys who create the racket. These guys can bring it and do they ever with Vengeance.

Music fans should be aware of “Rock” Feinstein from some time ago during his days with Elf when he teamed up with his cousin: the late, great, Ronnie James Dio. A fact worth passing on is Vengeance comes on the heels of David’s last solo release entitled Bitten By The Beast, where Dio performed vocals on the track “Metal Will Never Die.” Dio appeared as well and sang on the track “The Code” from Vengeance, which not knowing at the time, happened to be the last two tracks that Ronnie ended up recording.

There are eleven tracks on the new album, and it is impossible to find even one clunker among the bunch. The opening track “Raise Some Hell” is exactly what you get with this monster tune. This one hits you in the nuts so hard, it’ll make your head spin. The other highlights are “I Just Wanna Rock,” “Rebels Highway,” “Livin’ Outside The Law,” and the title track “Vengeance.” The remaining tracks are good in their own right, but unfortunately the Dio track “The Code” doesn’t fit into the album well. It’s a typical Ronnie James Dio tune amongst a bunch of wild, raise some hell, looking for trouble, rebel-rousing tracks. However, the bass work at the end will likely raise some eyebrows — a home run in itself.

The many Feinstein solos throughout this album prove he is widely underrated and can play with the best of the best. Bordonaro’s playing is also standout, and Canedy’s drum work couldn’t be more powerful and fluid – he makes drumming sound almost effortless. “Rebels Highway,” in particular, might be the best bass/drum combo on the album. Seldom does a band this talented come around that are so underrated and not given their due or fair share. Hopefully this album is the one to turn things around for them.

Do yourself a favor and pick this album up. The Rods come through tight as hell and perform eleven tracks that you’ll want to listen to over and over again… and you won’t be disappointed.