Here’s to a big welcome back for Sacramento, California based melodic rockers Tesla as they return from a five year studio hiatus with new album Shock, released by Universal Music Enterprises on March 8th 2019.
Formed in 1985 they still feature four out of five original members as they come out fighting with album opener ‘You Won’t Take Me Alive’. Lead singer Jeff Keith still has his rasp as his put up or shut up delivery vies with the sugar sweet choruses and lashings of fretboard sizzling lead guitar work. Other choice cuts include ‘Taste Like’ that drives along on biting guitar lines from Frank Hannon and new member Dave Rude. Booming bass lines from Brian Wheat pin the song down until the choruses kick in with Southern rock guitar solos adding a final flourish.
A laid back drawled vocal during ‘We Can Rule The World’, the first of the ballads are complemented by emotional choruses and sweeping orchestral strings. Things heavy up as militaristic drum patterns from Troy Luccketta back up some dynamic power chords for ‘Shock’. ‘Love Is A Fire’ is more ammunition to their arsenal of stadium rock ballads as the heart worn on sleeve lyrics are delivered with spine tingling gusto over piano pieces and sumptuous strings. Maybe March is a touch too early for driving along with all the windows down but ‘California Love Song’ may get you bringing the calendar forward due to its strikingly breezy power pop rhythms.
‘Forever Loving You’ should be listened to through headphones to allow your ears to be gently massaged by its beautiful melodies. ‘Tied To The Tracks’ is the heaviest track by far as a gnarly vocal adds menace to grinding riffing and ‘I Want Everything’ is foot to the floor hard rock as Jeff spits out the vocals as the rest of the band pound away. The album ends all too soon as ‘Comfort Zone’ is all classy AOR with bass and drum backed verses that give the vocals a chance to dominate until the guitars add bombast to the choruses. A strong end to a majestic album.
Shock album track listing :-
You Won’t Take Me Alive.
Taste Like.
We Can Rule The World.
Shock.
Love Is A Fire.
California Love Song.
Forever Loving You.
The Mission.
Tied To The Tracks.
Afterlife.
I Want Everything.
Comfort Zone.
Links:
teslatheband.com
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- £8.99