Reviewer Martin Popoff gave this sultry, swooning, strutting bluesy metal record a whopping 10/10..I'm not having that!! Well okay, it's a very good record, tinged heavily with shades of Deep Purple and Zeppelin magic, mainly because of the extraordinary guitar work of Jake E. Lee, who was one of the best guitarists of the genre for me in the '80s, and the band is fronted by the late Ray Gillen, whose voice is a smooth, caressing yet driven croon. Some big songs on offer, blazing a trail for '80s metal without the influence of Satan...'High Wire' is pure sex as it pivots on that ecstatic riff and Gillen shimmers and shakes, whilst 'Dreams In The Dark' drives like a bigger Whitesnake. Hard metal all over, played for real without the showmanship, and yet somehow this was lost on most but when you hear that rhythm of 'Dancing On The Edge' and the explosive crash and banging of 'Streets Cry Freedom' you'll be reaching for that guitar you never learnt to play. But...BUT...this isn't classic, faultless metal because for me it lacks the darkened edge of metal, and the home fire's burning here had already been lit by the previously mentioned Purple and Zeppelin. Even so, it's still classy metal but it was one of those records that many may have ignored due to its watered down packaging (dull band shot), but Lee's riffs alone are worth the purchase.
7.5./10
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