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Warrant: Louder Harder Faster
Warrant - Louder Harder Faster CD Album Review

Warrant: Louder Harder Faster

Melodic Hard Rock
3.5/5.0

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Frontiers Music
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 04.05.2017

Jumping out the "where the hell have they been" file once more is California's Warrant. You know the Sunset Strip glam sleaze rock band who give us hits like Cherry Pie and Heaven. It's been six years since Rockaholic, and surprisingly the personnel line up has stayed in tact. They're back with Louder Harder Faster for the Frontiers Music label.

Warrant Band Photo

Warrant

Honestly, on the first spin, even the first few songs, I was ready to dismiss this album as average at best. Why? It simply seemed that vocalist Robert Mason has lost control of his voice. On songs such as the title cut, Devil Dancer, Perfect, Choose Your Fate, and New Rebellion he sounds raw, nearly screamo. Alternatively, it could be that he was tuning his vocal style to the songs.

Those aforementioned songs live up to the title of the album. Largely, with song exceptions, Louder Harder Faster is assertive, heavier hard rock. Brisk and bold riffs are self-evident as is thunder and boom of the rhythm section. And the pacing is often swift, not necessarily breathtaking, but definitely gung ho let's rock.

So what are the exceptions? Of some of the heavier hard rock songs, Mason sounds more controlled and clear within Let It Go and Only Broken Heart. Then there's the ballad U In My Life, where he dials back to light over the piano line that starts the song. Yet, the stand out track might be Music Man, with its clear blues guitar line at the start, and Mason rides that train like Muddy Waters was whispering in his ears. Essentially, and musically, its a blues hard rock song. Definitely the highlight of the album.

In the end, I think that's what I enjoyed most about Louder Harder Faster, the music. Warrant can still deliver classic melodic hard rock infused with a metal edge and, in certain moments, some blues thrills. Recommended.



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The Bottom Line

In the end, I think that's what I enjoyed most about Louder Harder Faster, the music. Warrant can still deliver classic melodic hard rock infused with a metal edge and, in certain moments, some blues thrills. Recommended.

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