Artist: Razorback 
   Title: Deadringer
   Label: AOR/Metal Heaven

Fans of 'twiddly' guitar solos, pounding drumming and ballsy vocals are going to lap this third LP by Razorback up as it has all this and more to keep them interested and after their recent support act to Cornerstone, it should see them gain a few more fans.

There's a rather strange intro before diving into 'Deadringer' and then 'The Last Man Standing', with their driving guitars and macho type lyrics that are fine examples of the chest-thumping metal/rock that is making big waves amongst the younger set these days (see Trivium!), while 'Line Of Fire' could easily be something that Metallica would have come up with in past times.

To say that this album is all based on the hard-hitting heavy sound wouldn't be quite right as the band seem to be happy enough to throw a couple of soft centred rockers into the mould with 'Take Me To The Other Side' and the dark "love" song 'Miracle Baby' showing that there is a more solemn mood to them at times though I think they are more at home with the more faster, grindier sound that seems to be their forte, and you won't get any grindier or sleazy sounding than 'Rock N' Roll Life In Hellsinki' on this album, with its tale of drunken debauchery and a slightly obscure title if anything!

Razorback, for all their slightly dark and downbeat lyrics suddenly show their possible true colours with the last two songs, and with Stefan Berggren once in the band, is it only coincidental that 'Let Me Give My Lovin' has a hint of a certain British Blues Rock band about it ?? It's a definite change from the earlier tracks and the final song 'Razor Blues' with it's growling guitars again showing that there's more to this band than people will probably think with its deep bluesy feel to it and brings to an end a very good hard rock album from a band that will excite quite a few people with it.  

Review by Bob Baldwin.

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