Released by: earMUSIC
Release Date: March 31st, 2023
Genre: Hard Rock
Links: https://www.lastinlineofficial.com/
Line Up:
Vivian Campbell on guitar,
Vinny Appice on drums
Andrew Freeman on vocals
Phil Soussan on bass
Tracklist:
Not Today Satan
Ghost Town
Bastard Son
Dark Days
Burning Bridges
Do The Work
Hurricane Orlagh
Walls Of Jericho
Story Of My Life
We Don’t Run
Something Wicked
House Party At The End Of The World
When the classic DIO lineup reunited in 2013, led by Axeman Vivian Campbell and legendary drummer Vinny Appice, the expectation was through the roof then, as they are now with each subsequent release they have done. To be fair the Last in Line lineup was only ever going to be a reunion jam, but the guys alongside the late great Jimmy Bain on bass decided to put things together and write music again as a full ensemble. And much credit to them because they knew comparisons would come from all angles about finding the next DIO album, and some of that was warranted, and some of it was not.
There was no end game here with the reunion and the decision to make their debut, as Vivian stated to us before, these were all new riffs, and no hidden agenda to make this a DIO album. Is not intentional that Campbell and Appice sound akin back to the DIO albums, but that’s what great chemistry creates you can’t alter that. Riding on the connection the musicians have had for ages, they have decided to keep trucking forward after their sophomore release ‘II” came out, one which cemented their sound and fewer comparisons to RJD under the DIO monikers subsided.
With this new release, they mark their third offering in “Jericho”, and the lineup of Campbell, Appice, vocalist Andrew Freeman, and great bass courtesy of Phil Soussan is here to stay.
The crew wastes no time as things shift into high gear with the nice uptempo riffage of “Not Today Satan”, which quickly brings the power vocals of Andrew Freeman into the forefront. The next tune keeps things flowing nicely, with an addictive chorus by Freeman, and some groovy guitar licks by Vivian Campbell. This one comes in hot and is one of the top cuts on the album. I couldn’t help but notice that the sick bass lines in “Bastard Son” are dynamic as hell, and this groove here reminds me of what DIO could have sounded like in 2023. Is irrefutable to not compare the lively chemistry between Campbell and Appice, this is yet another song that kicks some serious ass. Credit to Freeman also for hitting some high notes here.
The next tune that keeps driving with force is the killer axe work on “Story Of My Life”, where the punishing groove just keeps pounding your head, Campbell shreds on this one and the rhythm is menacing. The ripping tides conclude on the final smasher “House Party at the End of the World”, where more slabs of pure riff madness and Freeman’s power vox take the helm. Nice way to end the album!!!
This new one from Last in Line does truly stand on its own, the guys don’t try to be something they are not. As many artists hit challenges with the pandemic, the direction of the result was not in sight. But thankfully they decided to keep making music and with the EP some months back, they got the water boiling for this result.
The final product proves that seasoned musicians can and will establish their chemistry and create something truly their own and with “Jericho” you bare witness to this in plain sight. A must check out for anybody that wants to listen to very well-done Hard Rock in 2023 with some legendary figures from the history of Rock.
Written by: Shadow Editor
Ratings: 9/10
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