Rated X

Rated X release their debut self titled cd on the Frontiers label on the 7th of November in Europe and the 10th of November inn the US.

So who are Rated X I here you ask? Another supergroup put together by Frontiers main man Serafino Perugino and a veritable who's who of rock.

On vocals is Joe Lynn Turner of Rainbow , Deep Purple , Yngwie Malmsteen ,Mothers Army and Sunstorm ) , on bass is Tony Franklin (The Firm , Blue Murder and Whitesnake ) , on drums is the legendary Carmine Appice ( Vanilla Fudge , Rod Stewart, Ozzy Osbourne , Mothers Army and Blue Murder ) and guitarist Karl Cochran of the Ace Frehley Band.

Under the guidance of producer Alessandro Del Vecchio ( Hardline , Voodoo Circle , Lionville and Eden's Curse ) who also plays keyboards too and then mixed by Pat Regan the band have put down an hours worth of music that is pure classic rock from any generation.

" Get Back My Crown " starts with a thunderous drum passage on a high tempo blues stomp with some keyboard fills nicely filling in the sound. Franklin lays down a bass rhythm few could match with him and Appice back together for the first time since the legendary Blue Murder debut cd . Cochran riffs like a man possessed and he and Del Vecchio trade solos in the middle of the song . Joe Lynn Turner sings the chorus line " Get Back My Crown " like he wants to be remembered as one of the best vocalists of all time .
His passionate vocal performance throughout is a joy to hear.

" This Is Who I Am " takes the pace down a little with Cochran adding some extra lead licks after the chorus . 

" Fire And Ice " starts with a bass and keyboard intro with you thinking ballad. As the drums kick in you have another huge stomp along with a real passionate vocal on the chorus. Between the choruses some wonderful bass and drum rhythm and a great Cochran solo with an added one on the outro too .

" I Don't Cry No More " is a groove laden Hammond organ led rocker with more light and shade on the pre chorus that again highlights Franklin and Appice's outstanding work . 

" Lhasa " starts with a keyboards intro before a slower Led Zeppelin type rocker with thundering drums and bass and a Lynn Turner vocal masterclass with a slightly harder edge to his phrasing .

" Devil In Disguise " has a Purple edge to it with underlying keyboards giving a real depth to the track. Appice's bass drum work during the chorus is superb. Great chorus and guitar solo .

" You Are The Music " is a mid tempo melodic rocker with a verse led by bass and drums and  real passionate Lynn Turner vocal and gang vocal backing on the chorus . 

" Peace Of Mind " is a bass led rocker that at the start reminds me a little of Purple's Highway Star with it's driving drum rhythm leading into a classic chorus before the bass and drum's take over again. Added Hammond swathes only add to the sound and even a mid song Hammond solo!!

" Maybe Tonight " is something that could have slipped onto Lynn Turner's Sunstorm cd's with a mid tempo melodic  AOR number. Superb pre chorus keyboard and vocal trade that carries on throughout the chorus. 

" On The Way To Paradise " would be great in the live setting . A chugging guitar riff over a driving drum beat lead to a huge chorus with great backing vocals again . More Hammond backing during the chorus before another Hammond solo that leads into Cochran's best guitar solo on the cd that plays out into 4 parts . Just as you think it will stop it goes off again.

" Our Love Is Not Over " is the only ballad like song on the cd with Lynn Turner's vocal at it's heart with the chorus again having some excellent backing vocals. Something that would have sat on a JLT solo cd.

" Stranger In Us All " ends the cd on a high with more thunderous Appice drums adding to the chugging Cochran riff and keyboard fills. Another verse led by drums and bass before the guitar kicks in pre chorus that builds into a huge chorus . Great light and shade throughout the song and my favourite song on the cd to finish.


Passionately played by a fantastic set of musicians  that have gelled straight away this is top quality hard rock music for 2014 .