GLORYDAZE Music - Articles: Mad Max

ARTIST: Mad Max
ALBUM: Here We Are
LABEL: A Minor Records
SERIAL: 2008-03
YEAR: 2008

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN:

LINEUP: Michael Voss - lead vocals, guitars, mandolin, hammond, piano * Juergen Breforth - acoustic and electric guitars * Roland Bergmann - bass * Mark Schulman - drums

TRACK LISTING: 01 Caravan * 02 Where The Winds Blow * 03 Here We Are * 04 Higher And Higher * 05 Down To Babylon * 06 Love Walks Lonely * 07 Stop One Minute * 08 How Deep * 09 Don't Talk It Over * 10 All Of My Heart * 11 Mad Gone Blind * 12 Keep You Alive * 13 High On Wheels * 14 Say Goodbye To Hollywood

RATING:

WEBLINKS: www.myspace.com/madmaxmusic

Background
Mad Max, Demon Drive, Casanova, what really is the difference? When I first looked at the CD, I was a little bit disappointed to see that most of the tracks involved other artists. Was this due to a possible lack of inspiration? or maybe left overs, from Silver or the Voices of Rock projects? Already I have proposed a few questions and I am still on the introduction. While I'm not ready to debate the answer to the first question, I do feel confident that the answers to numbers two and three boils down to there being no lack of inspiration. And thirdly, who cares if they are leftovers when the majority of tracks are very good. In fact this is the 25th anniversary celebration of Mad Max (well least a CD is better than being presented with a canteen of cutlery or a watch). 'Here We Are' has the rare occurrence of introduced outside writers. The result? A finely produced, well written collection of tunes. It even reaches a high level of consistency which is usually quite hard to achieve when you have so many cooks. Michael Voss as usual is very prominent and his influence really meshes the songs together, and achieves more than just another melodic rock release, when 'variety' is usually a dirty word.

The Songs
This album is all about collaborations, and some tracks show more than a passing reference to their co-accused then others. Take the opening pairing of 'Caravan' and 'Where The Winds Blow', the first isn't a tribute to the 'Abbey GTS' or the 'Bailey Ranger' (makes of caravan's for those who don't like sitting in a field for a fortnight on holiday) but very much could be picked from any Joe Lynn Turner release. The work Joe has done with Jim Peterik on the more recent Sunstorm, seems to have rubbed off on him. The Deep Purple connection doesn't stop there, as the second track features Don Airey. Here the piano man continues to show what a talented songwriter he can be, most recently evident on his solo CD 'A Light In The Sky'. The design of the song is very much purplesque, and is a cracking track, Voss voice competes well and is not to be out done.

While I was aware of most of the helpers, a new name to me was Jan Loechel a producer, song writer who in the past have assisted Reamonn (was unaware of) and Lucie Silvas (yes, I remember her, who wouldn't?). Here the title track is a very powerful mid paced ballad, similar to Shinedown. It's new, refreshing, and all terribly modern, but certainly a stand out track. I seem to hear a faint sound of Stryper and this continues with 'Higher Higher' (and we haven't even got to the Oz Fox track yet), I do find sometimes that Voss vocals have a slight similarity to Michael Sweet, whether I am right or wrong with that analysis, this tune is one of the most memorable songs on the album. It also enlists the aid of a third Michael, being Michael Schenker, who shows that he is still more than capable of producing recommended listening.

Well with 'Down To Babylon' you are instantly aware of the Jeff Scott Soto influence. Of course it's nice and 'funky', whereas this can suit Mr Soto down to the ground, I find it's not such an easy fit for Mr Voss. I do enjoy the chorus and it's obvious that Mad Max do as well because unfortunately 90% of the song is made up of repeating it, which it's underlying problem as the verses seem to disappear.

Of course some of the partnerships don't totally work (Sol Campbell with Notts County, springs to mind as a most recent example). This is the case for 'Love Walks Lonely' which is a bit of a brooding one, but more like a brooding auntie when what we really want is a brooding Jennifer Love Hewitt. The Stryper connection here in the shape of Oz Fox and the Tamplin injection on 'Stop One Minute' sees the Christian boys do battle, and Tamplin just edges it. Even with the introduction of female vocalist Pearl, (no surnames here, in the best tradition of metalcore!), we arrive at what is essentially a 'pop' tune and as far removed from Mad Max track that you ever can get. Wasn't Smokie very popular in Germany on the 70's, maybe they had a major influence in Michael's youth.

'How Deep' picks up proceedings and has more in common with Demon Drive and of course Silver, with the introduction of Bernie Torme. My fondest memories of the said Bernie was in my teenage years playing Gillan's,' New Orleans', constantly one summer, anyway this tune has an excellent AOR chorus.

Next up is 'Don't Talk It All Over', very much rock n roll, but it seems that all those involved here are having a bad day at the office. On this one Axel Rudi Pell assists, just like to add a supplementary note here.. while I do like many of the Pell albums what really 'grinds my gears' (credited to Peter Griffin, Family Guy) why is it that Pell feels it necessary to be able to hear the sound of the guitar strings on every chord change (I'm sure there is a technical term for this, but being only able to master the three chords of Black Sabbath's 'Paranoid', I am unaware of it). I suppose we should be grateful that has been avoided here but we are left with a track more in common with latter day AC/DC recent output (sorry but I am a bonafide Bon Scott fan), it just makes me wish for the song to be over.

'All Of My Heart', with Wolf Hoffman.. so it's Accept, maybe something like, 'Fast As A Shark'? well no, it's a ballad, with a telling country influence. Just as we have seen Bonfire touch upon Southern Rock, Mad Max touches on country; it's OK, but more Lone Star than Shooting Star.

I have especially taken a liking to a couple of the more heavier tracks towards the end of the CD, particularly 'Mad Gone Blind'. It's probably the most socially aware song put together by Mad Max. A news clip precedes the song, which describes the horrific shooting of 8 people in Finland in 2008 by Pekka Eric Auvinen. It's an excellent tune, with a strong message, but it's real, which is the most worrying aspect. The involvement of David Readman of Pink Cream 69 gives it the hard rock feel and could easily be measured against anything you will find (in my opinion) on the best Voss album, being the one under the banner of Demon Drive, with the 2000 release 'Heroes'.

The heaviness continues with 'Keep You Alive', very instant and also is bordering on 'industrial' metal. It's crunching and Voss lets rip in the verses, couple this with an excellent soft pre chorus you have the basis of a fine song. At times it reminds me of T-Ride, fresh, entertaining and a great track.

The intensity of the album then backfires with 'High On Wheels' a pretty run of the mill tune, which is quite disappointing when you realise it's assisted by Mark Storace of Krokus of who you would had expected more.

Bringing up the rear is 'Goodbye To Hollywood'; and Mr Voss is solely responsible. This is a great ballad, and shows how it can be done. The guitar has traces of the Thin Lizzy song,' Still In Love With You'. Vocal wise we have a shade of Mikael Erlandson. Great vocal interplay with the piano, brushes of Gary Moore guitar brilliance. One of the most accomplished songs ever by Mad Max. The song stays with you long before it has finished.

In Summary
Voss is as reliable as the Germany football team, OK they may have the odd drop in standards just like one or two of the Silver releases, but just as the football team experience a 5-1 drubbing (remind me who beat them?) they bounced back to give a quality showing in the next finals. Another healthy and professional performance by Voss and we should not lose sight of the two other full time members of Mad Max, who are worthy lieutenants. What I like about this CD, it's not whether all the tracks work, every partnership has its off moments, but all the songs are pretty individual, especially when such a genre is usually criticised for being one-dimensional and tired. I have given it a pretty high rating, mainly due to the fact, that I have played it a lot, out of enjoyment rather than necessity, and each song, good or ordinary (bad is not the right word) are quite memorable, in all their unique ways. Can he repeat the performance when Demon Drive or Casanova reach a similar milestone, it would be a perfect excuse for another attempt.

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