VENGEANCE: "Piece Of Cake"

Rating: RRRR
Label: SPV/Steamhammer 2013
Review by: Urban "Wally" Wallstrom

Opening number, "World Arena", a proper belter of a track with roaring guitars and stomping beat. Vocally, Leon Goewie has a haunting metal quality, mad, raspy, hi-pitch and completely riding on his own cloud, yet still blending into the song which soon will have you shouting along to the lines of 'get ready for the global rush'. It's proper metal mania and Vengeance at their best and merely the hint of Lizzy Borden and U.D.O. The great example of how to lure people off the street and into the metal arena - 'Piece Of Cake' really.

Promoted in the 80s under the slogan 'Do You Hate Hardrock? Guess You've Never Seen Vengeance' - the band from Brabant, Netherlands, are finally having/taking the cake and hope to eat it too. I'am really surprised by the high song quality throughout the album. Remove the dodgy rock of the "Train" track (pun intended) and end up with ten songs in the fine tradition of 80s hard rock and metal. The late and great guitarist Jan Somers (RIP) - replaced by his son Timo and he's quite the flashy six-string bender. Check out the impressive tone and style in the bluesy semi-ballad, "Back To Square One".

"Tears From The Moon", the fine mid-tempo song which Kal Swan and Lion would be proud of during their era of Trouble In Angel City. The wet "Raintime" is Vengeance heavy with lots of flowing guitar and "Sandman" is the blunt and direct metal tune with over-the-top vocals by Goewie. "Headquake" and "Mirrors", two completely different animals with A+ quality as their common trademark and ground. Neon Leon goes bezerk during the latter and its Kingdom Come (the band) inspired chorus. Title track 'Piece Of Cake' feature tongue-in-cheek lyric and fun vocals in the grand tradition of Bon Scott. "Goodbye Mother Sky" is the closing epic track that reeks of Arabia and Led Zep.

The bottomline: Older fans may still think of the "Arabia" album as their very best. "Piece Of Cake" is however 'same, same, but different' and loaded with headbanging material. \m/
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