Kill Devil Hill (Self-Titled)

Listen, you can't beat experience. And these guys have it in spades, making a new band's debut CD sound like a veteran effort.Coming off like a cross between Alice In Chains and Whitesnake, Kill Devil Hill has the sound of a modern hard rock band with a nice old school sensibility. And it's probably due in no small part to the talents of its members: drummer Vinny Appice (Dio, Black Sabbath), bassist Rex Brown (Pantera, Down), guitarist Mark Zavon (W.A.S.P) and vocalist Dewey Bragg (Pissing Razors). The collective experience amassed here in terms of touring and crafting heavy tunes is formidible and it shows in the maturity of their eponymously-titled debut.

The dozen tunes on this album range from the Sabbathy slog of Rise From The Shadows to the Alice In Chains swagger of Hangman to the Whitesnake slither of Voodoo Doll, confidently referencing everything in between. These guys just know good old fashioned hard rockin' and it's here for the listening. The production on this album really helps set the mood, as I've seen good material like this suffer in the hands of mediocre technicians all too often.

The Bottom Line: The sheer experience of its members makes this new band's debut CD sound like the latest work of a veteran outfit with songs that sound polished and effortless. If only all new bands could come out this strongly from the get go.

Tracks To Help You Get Your Rock N' Roll Swagger On: War Machine, Hangman, Voodoo Doll, Rise From The Shadows

- Genghis was muy impressed with this debut offering...