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TIM "RIPPER" OWENS
"Play My Game" (SPV; 2009)
Reviewed by Mike SOS
After providing vocals for the most notable metal bands in the world for well over the past decade, Tim “Ripper” Owens finally steps out as a solo artist on his 12-track debut "Play My Game."
Bringing to the party a mind-blowing cross-section of the metal friends he’s made along the way (an impressive list that reads like a Who’s Who in the metal realm), Owens and associates dole out a lesson in traditional metal excellence with a modern edge (“No Good Goodbyes”). Channeling his former band, Judas Priest, and Ronnie James Dio as main sources of inspiration for his powerful vocals, the harbingering aura of “The Shadows Are Alive” and the wild caterwauls accompanying the extra-terrestrial pounder “The Cover Up” help Owens decisively cement his own identity while staying surprisingly cohesive considering the vast array of hands in the mix. This multidimensional metal attack utilizes British metal swagger and American hard rock grit to get the job done (as on “Play My Game”).
Despite the over-the-top six-string bravado of the likes of Craig Goldie, Doug Aldrich, and Carlos Cavazo leading the rhythm section toward a studio session feel, Owens’ powerful pipes and old world compositions ground this all-star affair long enough to strike a balance between a sound like a musician’s clinic and a metal album with mass appeal.
For more information, check out http://www.timripperowens.com.
Rating Guide:
A classic. This record will kick your ass.
Killer. Not a classic but it will rock your world.
So-so. You've heard better.
Pretty bad. Might make a nice coaster.
Self explanatory. Just the sight of the cover makes you wanna hurl.
Copyright © 2009 by R. Scott Bolton. All rights
reserved.
Revised:
18 Mar 2024 11:32:26 -0500.
