Group: Engine
CD Title: “Superholic”
Release Date: 2002
Label: Metal Blade
Origin: U.S.A.
Genre: Heavy Metal (Cannot be defined as Power/Death/Thrash/Speed)
Track List: Losing Ground
Suffocated
I Know
The Perfect Star
Superholic
Fascination Street
1 a.m.
Home
Realize
Save Me
Mine
For those not in the “know” or aren’t down with the “hip” crowd like I am wouldn’t know that this group is actually an ensemble of metal industry professionals. At the helm of this band is none other than Ray Alder of Fate’s Warning fame (and if you don’t know who Fate’s Warning is, then you should be shot), which should immediately interest those hardcore metal heads out there. Bringing up the bass guitar duties is the equally impressive Joey Vera of Armored Saint! This should be the end of the review right here!! Those two names should tell you this CD is extraordinary. No, you’re not going to luck out like that. Stay with me here. Bernie Versailles (Agent Steel) wields the axe and Pete Parada rounds out the quartet on drums.
Upon first listen, as the first song Losing Ground throbbed through my speakers, I immediately had a bad thought. “Nu-Metal” How can I possibly think this?? Ray Alder was a vocal god in Fate’s Warning! Bernie Versailles’ speed metal band Agent Steel certainly didn’t fall into this category, so how is it that these metal pioneers are making a Nu-Metal record?? Well, luckily my disgust didn’t last when Alder’s vocals finally kicked in. Though this is definitely not a speed or progressive metal CD, it does have a charm about it, and that slimy Nu-Metal feeling slowly faded.
Though not every song on this release is “special”, there are several highlights which give will give you a slight tingle in the groin area. I don’t know if that’s good or not. Maybe I should have said”warmness” in the groin area. Anyways, some of my favorite songs on here include I Know. Which has a very Fate’s Warning chorus (ala Perfect Symmetry) imbedded in it. The Perfect Star has one of those romantic moods to it and since no lyrics come with the CD I couldn’t tell you what exactly is said. But the chorus has a nice feel to it. Please, no romantic email… I’m begging. Fascination Street is a great cover of The Cure’s original tune, bringing a crushing chorus that will have you shaking your head up and down like an old person with Parkinson’s disease. 1 a.m. is a short guitar and vocal only song that brings the heavy tone of the album down a notch. And finally my favorite, which is, Home, whose intense chorus I could listen to constantly, for days even.
All in all a great CD with some great heavy chops, excellent production, and superb vocal arrangements. But despite my fondness for Alder and Vera, I will have to give Superholic an overall rating of 7. Not all of the songs captured my attention, and I hate filler music. Stay Heavy.
