Octber 1st, 2025
Origin: UK band
Genre: Melodic Rock
Links : https://badmatrix.com/
Line Up:
Rob Sas – Guitar
Peter Zaleski – Vocals
Paul Morris – Keyboards (previously played with Ritchie Blackmore/Yngwie Malmsteen)
Paul Mallyon – Drums
Phil Crombie – Bass
As soon as the catchy hookladen opener Masquerade blasts through the speakers I had a smile on my face, because this is prime time late 80s American Melodic Hardrock at it’s very best, sounding dangerously close to the heydays of DOKKEN, FIREHOUSE, HEAVEN’S EDGE, RED DAWN, KNOW ILLUSION, STRUTT, STRYPER, 80s BON JOVI (of course), DANGER DANGER and the countless other bands that ruled the American radio (and MTV) during the late 80s/early 90s.
BAD MATRIX are a band out of UK originally, because actually they were a band formed in the late 80s as BAD ATTITUDE, and back then they were close to release a major label album, yet sadly that didn’t happen, so the band eventually split up. Fast forward to 2023, the Spanish wife of guitarist Rob Sas convinced him to re-record the old material and release it as a CD. So he did, and along with Rob came Polish singer Peter Zaleski, RITCHIE BLACKMORE/YNGWIE MALMSTEEN keyboard player PAUL MORRIS, drummer Paul Mallyon, and bassist Phil Crombie, they released as BAD MATRIX the first album Dangerous Game.
9 songs are included in total, and after that stunning opener, we get to hear many more great melodic rockers that also have an AOR touch, such as the catchy Hole In My Heart, Dangerous Game, My Resort (featuring awesome guitar vs keyboard solo’s at the end of the song) and Heaven Above. All together it reminds me besides the aforementioned a lot of the early 90s UK Melodic Rocksound, which is not that strange considering the songs were written during those times. BURN, LITTLE ANGELS, FM, KICK, BIG GUNS, BIG CHILL, MORITZ, RADIO MOSCOW, BB STEAL, etc. etc.
Don’t miss this great comeback of a band that now seems to have a bright future that makes up for their missed opportunity 35 years ago!
Written by: Gabor Kleinbloesem
Ratings: Gabor 8/10
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