Riot has been possibly the most consistent band of the last decade. Their albums have been spaced apart by a couple years or more, but when they come out, you just know it's going to be good. This is a band who knows who they are. They know what they do. They know what their fans expect to hear and they deliver it. It seems like a pretty obvious thing, but it is actually an astonishingly rare trait. Riot themselves have been through a few sound and personnel changes over the years, but they struck gold when they brought in Mike DiMeo on vocals. Every once in a while the right combination of sounds and musicians and styles come together and there is just magic. And that is what Riot has had since Mark Reale and Mike DiMeo joined forces. Magic. The pieces all came together. Something clicked. Magic. If you're smart, you don't mess with that, and Riot has been very smart. The sound hasn't changed. They've just served up a great batch of new songs with this cd. Their sound has a definite classic rock vibe, but it's so much more than that. The songs are so well written and performed, I just can't imagine anyone not liking this. It's heavy in some places, it's soulful in others, but they never force anything. It always sounds like Riot. I'll be playing songs like Knockin at My Door and One More Alibi for a long time. Yes, the album cover is lame and the booklet design isn't any better, but this is about the music. If you like Riot you have to get this, and if you haven't tried them yet, this is a great time to give them a shot. --
Scott