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Frank, Herman: The Devil Rides Out
 Sometimes, the world just needs a good, old fashioned heavy metal album to kick itself out of its doldrums. The Devil Rides is just that kind of old school, classic metal record, recorded by none other than former Accept/Victory guitarist Herman Frank and his band of merry metalheads, vocalist Rick Altzi (Masterplan), bassist Michael Müller (Jaded Heart), and drummer André Hilgers (Rage). Obviously, the pedigree of these four musicians speaks for itself, and together they have made Frank's third solo album a real monster of kick ass heavy metal.
Though a dozen tracks might sound like a lot, most are in the 3-4 minute range, don't overstay their welcome, and basically give you everything you need in an enjoyable, vintage sounding metal album. Plenty of crunchy riffs and blistering solos from Frank as you would expect, and with Altzi's leathery & powerful vocals alongside him, tunes like "Running Back", "Ballhog Zone", "Shout", and "Can't Take It" become can't miss metal anthems ready to prompt immediate devil horns, fist pumps, and air guitar frenzy. Galloping rhythm beasts like "Run Boy Run" and "Thunder of Madness" recall Frank's former band Accept, but his guitar pyrotechnics show that he was never one to take a backseat to Wolf Hoffman in the talent department. Hilgers puts on a clinic throughout the raging "Dead or Alive", and Müller's enormous bass grooves saddle up right next to Frank's tremendous riffs on the heavy closer "I Want it All."
With some mid paced rockers thrown in as well to pair off with the fast paced & furious tunes, there's plenty of variety here on The Devil Rides Out, making for a really well rounded effort. Though Frank's guitar is front and center, this is a very song based album where the entire band is allowed to shine, and that's the reason why it succeeds at such a high level. Classic heavy metal fans are going to get a lot of mileage out of this one, as Herman Frank and his band remind us all just how cool old school really is.
See more about this release on our recent YouTube show!
Track Listing
1 - Running Back
2 - Shout
3 - Can't Take It
4 - No Tears In Heaven
5 - Ballhog Zone
6 - Run Boy Run
7 - Thunder Of Madness
8 - License To Kill
9 - Stone Cold
10 - Dead Or Alive
11 - Run For Cover
12 - I Want It All
Added: October 31st 2016
Reviewer: Pete Pardo
Score: 
Related Link: Artist Website
Hits: 1686
Language: english
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Frank, Herman: The Devil Rides Out
Posted by Steven Reid, SoT Staff Writer on 2016-10-30 19:43:27
My Score:
Known for playing guitar in Accept, Victory and Sinner, Herman Frank has in recent times been forging a solo career, The Devil Rides Out the third album to arrive under his own name since 2009. With Masterplan vocalist Rick Altzi on board for the second time running, the pair make a mighty team, the line-up more than ably completed by Silent Force drummer Andre Hilgers and Jaded Heart bassist Michael Muller. As you'd expect from a guitarist most recently associated with German metal masters Accept, the main thrust of TDRO is a confident, strident stab of powering fret work. However with Altzi a diverse and skilled vocal talent, Frank also has the room to illustrate a few different sides to his attack, the feel varying from all out Germanic power metal through to the more commercial strains of Whitesnake and a Dio-esque crossover of catchy choruses and all out metal attack.
It all makes for an immediate blast of captivating double kick infused riffs and rolls, "Can't Take It" bringing a Dokken like intro to a heavier chorus pummel, while "No Tears In Heaven" heads down the tight riff path once trodden by Vivian Campbell in Dio. "Running Back" however is a balls to the wall (sorry…) blast of riffage that strongly reminds of Accept, while still adding a different aspect through the more obviously Euro power metal vocal attack. A surprising bluesy vibe is brought to the still pounding "Ballhog Zone", or at least in the introduction's guitar work, a more expected approach relied on after that, while a thick groove is unexpectedly laid down through "I Want It All".
What strikes you hardest after a few consecutive spins of this album is just how consistent its twelve tracks are, from start to finish no real chinks to be found in the bold and brash armour. However with more than a few deviations taken from the path, The Devil Rides Out also has more than enough tricks in its bag to keep you locked in all the way.
Recruiting Rick Altzi may once again have been Herman Frank's real masterstroke, the underrated singer easily handling everything thrown at him and then some. However that would mean nothing if he hadn't been given a collection of excellent songs to showcase his talents. He has and neither he, nor Herman Frank puts them to waste.
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