More info: www.torokmusic.com, http://www.myspace.com/sonofericband
Given the fact that Torok made a really good impression on me when I reviewed "Addiction of Fools", I was looking forward to this one which is basically a solo album by Torok vocalist Bryan Erickson. However, I listened to this a couple of times and to be honest I wasn't that impressed. Having to sit down and write a review forced me to take the time to examine the material in more detail.
"The Truth" was probably picked as the opening track as it rocks out, but like the majority of tracks in the first half of the album, it has to be rescued by the guitar work. Only second track, "Black Rain Falls", chugs its way above average. A possible explanation for my opinion is that the material has a modern twist and verges on alt-rock, but the guitar work still harks back to a more 80s based approach which is more in keeping with my personal tastes.
"Blind Man" with its Sabbath & hints of Whitesnake blues is the first track to really ignite the same level of interest as the Torok album. A hint of the blues is again present on "Good Bad Ugly" which has some nice vocal harmonies. "Lost & New Found", whilst not quite up to same standard, holds it own. So far I haven't mentioned the real star of the album which has to be Bryan's voice. On closing ballad "Gone", the stripped back format let's the vocals take a final bow.
I remember when Harem Scarem released the darker more alternative sounding "Voice of Reason" album I hated it. It wasn't until I went back, maybe a couple of years later, and listened to the album repeatedly to really get my head around the direction that he band had taken that it became one of my favourites.
Since starting this review I have gone back and listened to the Torok album and for the moment I'm sticking with that one as the preferred option. This doesn't mean that "Epiphany",is bad, in fact it is fairly decent, but whilst I would load it onto a 160Gb iPod Classic, if I had one, I don't think it will make onto my more limited 8Gb Nano. Maybe, if I revisit "Epiphany" is a couple of years time, I'll have a Eureka moment just like I did with "Voice Of Reason".
