Search - Riot :: Sons of Society

RIOT Rips Your Eardrums Out...AGAIN!!!

Kenneth Kupstis | Orlando, FL | 11/21/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I hadn't bought a RIOT album since "The Privilege Of Power", which was...when? 1994? I thought it was good, but I didn't race right out and buy all of their albums (that'd set you back a few bucks, since they've got HOW MANY albums now?), but now that I've gotten SONS OF SOCIETY, I guess I'll have to.For those unfamiliar with RIOT, they're one of America's very FIRST true Hard rock/heavy metal bands, starting in the mid-70s and playing DONNINGTON way back when RAINBOW still had Graham Bonnet. The one mainstay of RIOT is Guitarist Mark Reale, who's kept the band going for 25 years or so with a lot of different (but always talented) musicians. RIOT isn't a hair-metal band, or a black-metal band, or a gimmick-metal band, (which is unfortunately why they've never gotten HUGE) they're just a DAMNED GOOD METAL BAND, kind of like America's answer to SAXON.SONS OF SOCIETY starts out with ONE flaw, a weird, jangly sitar-instrumental called "Snake Charmer", but once that's out of the way you're soaring "On The Wings Of Life" into a HURRICANE of intricate guitar riffs...one can't tell if it's Mark Reale or Mike Flyntz doing rhythms or solos, but they're both GREAT, kind of like a mix of Judas Priest and Tesla. Bobby Jarzombek adds great rapid-fire drumming and Vocalist Mike DiMeo is also very talented, sounding much like Tony Martin of Black Sabbath. Bassist Pete Perez doesn't stand out much but he's got his work cut out for him just keeping up with the guitars and drums. The album only slows down ONCE, on a semi-ballad called "Cover Me", then it cranks up even faster with "Dragonfire" (should've been on the REIGN OF FIRE soundtrack), "The Law" and "Time to Bleed".
Lyrics are a bit downbeat; mostly angry-young-man rants at compliancy, betrayal & injustice, but they sound good. 9 out of 11 songs are great. SONS OF SOCIETY is a GREAT album that proves once again RIOT is a GREAT American Metal Band."

This should be a 5 star, not a 4 (people, check your ears)

Matthew L. Glass | chico, ca. | 01/22/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"i have been a rocker/metal head for over 30 years, and a drummer for 25, so i think i know a little about what is good or not (in my opinion, of course). this is a 5, if ever a release waranted such a rating. it is almost impossible to explain why, you just need to hear it to believe it. i have owned over 2,000 cds, lps, cassettes, of rock and metal music, and this is one of my favorite releases. it is so masterfully enginerred and recorded, and the players, well there is no words to do them justice (check out the drumming. masterful). rockers and musicians, do yourself a favor and invest a little coin on this one. if you don't like it, you can blame me. peace."