Z Records - Musically Correct Volume 1
Jekyll &Hyde - Breaking The Silence
Amaze Me - God's Gift To Woman
Snakes In Paradise - Without Love
Savannah - Two Young Hearts
Human Race - Remember When
Eyeball - Thy Will Be Done
Rainmaker - There For You
Push - Never Again
Norgren Leven Project - Losin' My Religion
Jekyll & Hyde - Best Of Me
Montana Screams - Red White Back and Blue '98
Amaze Me - Wonderland
Picture Perfect - Hold On
Snakes In Paradise - Voice Inside
Lifeline - My Days Are Counted
Scudiero - Whispering Shadows
Label: Z Records
Year: 1998
Total Playing Time: 68:32 m:s
Review date: August 1998
Z have built up quite a collection of signings in what seems a short space of time. The first 3 albums have already been released and this sampler lets us find out just what else they've got lined up to unleash upon the record buying public.
Firstly, let's get the tracks off albums that I've already reviewed out of the way. I'm not totally convinced by the J&H's Heavenly Creatures album, but in small doses, as is the case here, J&H get a general thumbs up from me. Amaze Me & Z are clearly more in love with God's Gift To Woman than I am, as they chose it to open the s/t album and showcase it here. There are just so many other great songs on that album that I'm a bit surprised to find it here. From the new album we get a pre-production version of Wonderland. If you look behind the raw production, there is a good song underneath. Human Race's modern working of the Rainbow/Purple/Talisman sound works on the album and this time I agree with the choice of track from the album.
If Z's first releases have rocked just a bit too hard for you, then bands like Savannah, Rainmaker & Picture Perfect all adopt a more commercial/AOR stance. First time you listen to the compilation, these could well be the tracks that grab your attention. Push are melodic hard rock and I'm convinced I've heard their vocalist before somewhere. Snakes In Paradise will have Whitesnake fans jumping for joy. The opening of Voice Inside is just so Whitesnake. Clones they might be, but good to listen to.
There are a few tracks where I detect hints of that dreaded 90s approach to rock music - Eyeball, NL Project and Montana Screams. Lifeline (who've now changed their name to Dreamhunter) provide the sole ballad which is a bit like REO Speedwagon. Final track, by Scudiero, is perhaps my favourite on the album and they've obviously been listening to a bit of Dream Theater.
If you're into melodic hard rock, then this will definitely be of interest. Of course the whole idea of a record label sampler is to get you interested in some of their albums. Well, Amaze Me & Human Race are worth checking out and I'm interested in hearing more from Snakes, Scudiero, Savannah and Rainmaker.
Rating: 8
