Search - Xyz :: Letter to God

Good Stuff!

Robert L. Hicks Jr. | Lake Mary, Florida United States | 04/28/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"XYZ will always be lumped in with the "hair band" scene. This is a shame really. Great song writing with great hooks. If you liked "XYZ" and "Hungry" you should like this one as well. Terry's voice has held up well over the years. Same great guitar tone. "Letter To God" should give you a taste of that guitar tone we all love. "Tango" is another great track you should check out. "Rainy Day" takes a minute to really get rocking but once it does it is high octane Rock and Roll."United" may be the heaviest track on here and will surely get your head bobbing back and forth. Something here for everyone including a ballad or two. Pick it up!"

Older and wiser, but still XYZ

Justin Gaines | Northern Virginia | 05/10/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Melodic hard rockers XYZ returned to the scene in 2003 with Letter to God, their first studio album since 1991's Hungry. This time around, original members Terry Ilous, Marc Diglio and Paul Monroe are joined by former Rough Cutt bassist Sean McNabb and former King Kobra guitarist J.K. Northrup.



It's apparent from the start that this isn't going to be the kind of XYZ album people were expecting. The band - particularly singer Terry Ilous - had gone through a lot in the preceding 12 years, and that shows in these songs. Going back to simple party metal anthems just wouldn't make sense for this older, more mature group. That said; Letter to God is still a very enjoyable melodic rock album, and bears some familiar XYZ trademarks, including memorable guitar hooks, fantastic melodies, and of course Ilous's dynamic vocals. It's also a much more personal and introspective album. The recurring themes of life, death, and faith - especially in the wake of the untimely death of Ilous's son - make for a more moving listening experience than you normally get from a melodic rock album.



If you're expecting old school XYZ or a hair metal revival album, you're likely to be disappointed with Letter to God. If you have an open mind, and are looking for a good melodic rock album from a veteran act, you should find Letter to God quite enjoyable. Fans of Harem Scarem, Von Groove, Vaughn, and most of the current Frontiers Records catalog should definitely check this one out.



NOTE: There are a couple of different versions of Letter to God available. The best I've seen has 15 tracks, including the bonus tracks Never Too Late, a Spanish version of the song Tango, and rerecordings of XYZ hits Inside Out and What Keeps Me Loving You.

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GREAT COMEBACK WITH A MATURE SOUND...

A. S. Mccaslin | Las Vegas , NV | 10/26/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Whoever that Bruce Forrest guy is who reviewed this needs to open his ears - he obviously is clueless about music (he must work for Rolling Stone or Allmusic). Since i did a few gigs as keyboardist for XYZ i was excited to be a part of this very mature album from my buddy Terry and friends. I really didn't know what to expect when i first got the cd , but i have to admit i was pleasantly surprised. Great hooks , top-notch musicianship and just a nice evolving mature sound. No grunge crap (butt-rock) or alternative elements here , but not full-on 80s glory either. It's a bit more Zeppelin-esque i'd say. Terry sounds great as always and the band is just smokin. A fine addition to your Melodic Hard Rock collection."