Search - Arch Rival :: Third Degree Burns

'Third Degree Burns' Is A Real Scorcher!

Keith Langerman | Albuquerque, NM USA | 04/28/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Greatness returns! Yes, the absolutely fantastic U.S. metal band Arch Rival have come back to grace us with a melodic metal masterpiece with their third album 'Third Degree Burns'. Led by guitarist extrordinaire Michael Harris, but also featuring the powerful vocalist Steve Snyder, bassist Gary Rigmaiden and agressive, powerhouse drummer Greg Martin, Arch Rival is simply one of the best metal bands ever produced in the U.S.A. past or present! Flying out of the gate with the force of a speeding locomotive on the lead off track "Soul Of Your Machine", Arch Rival are playing for keeps! An instant classic track, which is reminiscent at times of some of the faster songs from the Dio era Black Sabbath. Only Sabbath never had background vocals like this! This song contains a powerful vocal performance from Steve Snyder and ripping guitar work from Michael Harris! Moving right along we encounter "Heaven's Kiss"another hard driving metal song that finds the entire band playing up a storm.Vocalist Snyder sounds like a cross between Phil Mogg(U.F.O.) and Robin "Kyle" Basauri(Jaguar, Joshua, Die Happy, Red Sea),yet including enough inflections to sound original. Fantastic! "Enter The Dragon" is next, which could be considered a power ballad, although unlike the majority of such songs, this song ROCKS!! A soulful performance by Steve Snyder lifts this song to greatness! Guitarist Harris, although a monster player, shows great restraint on this track, which is highly unusual for guitarists who are basically known for their ability to "shred". Subtle playing by drummer Greg Martin keeps things going here in fine fashion, never overplaying. Which leads to the next track "Ultra-Violence(Will Break the Silence). Another classic metal song, with a chorus that will stay in your head for days! Furious riffing and awesome lead guitar work by Harris that will absolutely blow you away! "Drowning in Pain" comes up next, another fantastic song, led off by great, pounding drum work by Greg Martin. Martin plays up a storm on this track, driving the song like a train conductor. Gary Rigmaiden also turns in a great performance on bass, providing a rock solid bottom end that will pound through your brain! "Tough Love" is a slightly funky hard rock song, with great, bluesy vocals from Steve Snyder. Michael Harris is awesome on this track, putting down searing solos while riffing away like a man possessed! Things slow down for a few seconds with the opening of "Silence(is a word), which then kicks into gear shifting to a bluesy metal song. The whole band is fantastic on this song, with each contributing great parts, yet always playing for the good of the song. "Writing On The Wall" continues in the bluesy vein, only slightly heavier, with a great breakdown, which allows all the players to shine. Yet another great vocal performance by Snyder! Then there is the title track "Third Degree Burns", a fantastic instrumental reminiscent of Joe Satriani's earlier work. Guitarist Harris gets to really strut his stuff on this track, showing why he is one of the best guitarists on the scene. The album ends with another hard rocking song, the bluesy "Minds of Madness". Beginning with some wild guitar work from Harris, then settling into a solid metal groove,showcasing the great rhythm section of Rigmaiden and Martin. More excellent playing by Harris! There are absolutely no weak tracks on 'Third Degree Burns' Every track is infused with extremely strong songwriting, both musically and lyrically. If you love heavy yet melodic metal with outstanding vocals and guitar work, then this is a "must buy" album! I feel no reservations on giving 'Third Degree Burns' my highest recommendation!"