With a gruff voice falling somewhere between Kip Winger and Don Dokken, Phil Vincent can’t help that his melodic rock music sounds like a throwback to another era. There’s nothing wrong with that, and Vincent has several solo albums (this is his 23rd!) and group projects to his name to prove his musical prowess.
That said, Stigmata lacks lasting hooks, often sounds muddy and does little to encourage newcomers to his music to seek out Vincent’s earlier work. Vincent sings all 10 songs here, as well as plays most instruments (including the bouncy keyboards that make “It Don’t Matter Anymore” one of the most memorable and impressive songs on the album). He’s joined by Legion guitarist Vince O’Regan and drummer Max Piccolo, and Janne Stark's lead guitars on "So Tired" are another album highlight. In fact, everyone turns in solid performances. The material just doesn’t hold up to repeat spins.
Longtime Phil Vincent fans will want this for their collection, and it’s refreshing to hear an artist so enthusiastically embrace his influences. But Stigmata could have left a deeper mark.
Also: Can we proclaim a moratorium on covering “Eleanor Rigby”? I’ve only heard one version that rivals The Beatles’ original, and the one here isn’t it. (If you’re curious, I’m referring to a long-gone Wisconsin band called Seventeen Rhinos, which played a killer live version of "Eleanor Rigby" but never recorded it in the studio.)
Track Listing:
1. No End in Sight
2. My Darkness
3. Time
4. My Life
5. It Don’t Matter Anymore
6. Hideaway
7. So Tired
8. Don’t Turn Your Back
9. Eleanor Rigby
10. Reason to Believe
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