In Denial - In Denial

Tracks:

2025
Nothing At All
Free
Till The End Of Time
The Well
You're The One
We Must Change
Peace
Constant Change

Total Playing Time: 37:09 m:s

Year: 1997
Label: J Bird Records
Producer: In Denial

With the way the music scene has been going over the past couple of years, you could almost be forgiven for thinking that straightforward hard rock has vanished without trace. I know that I've found myself listening to more AOR and any hard rock has been either the result of digging deep in the depths of my record collection or catching up on back catalogue stuff on CD. However, it now looks like hard rock could be in for a revival with the emergence of bands like Velocity, November and now In Denial.

Whereas November have a faint modern twist, In Denial are playing it straight. The result is an album which might not be ground breaking, but which is entertaining.

2025 is a good start to the album with the band setting the scene for the rest of the album. In Denial certainly like to let their guitarist loose on most of the tracks. However, it never gets to the point of self-indulgence.

Nothing At All continues in a similar fashion.

Free adopts a more riff based approach which reminds me of Diamond Head circa Death & Progress.

Till The End Of Time sees the band turning their hand to a power ballad. This proves that the band is equally competent on the slow numbers.

We're into the riff territory again for 'The Well'. Its maybe the first song that I'd say lets the side down slightly. 'You're The One' mixes The Black Crowes with HM and it doesn't work for me.

Just when you think that 'We Must Change' is the second ballad, at the mid-point the band pick up the pace. In fact, the couple of pace changes in this song help to make it one of the better tracks.

Having added some elements of heaviness on We Must Change, 'Peace' too has it's Metallica influences.

Constant Change is a return the style of The Well/You're The One which I'm not so keen on.

So maybe there are a couple of tracks that I wouldn't get wildly excited about, but overall this is an album that In Denial should be proud of. I know that there has been some record label interest in the band. Based upon what I've heard here, I'm sure someone will have the good sense to give them a deal.

Rating: 7