Reece, David: Blacklist Utopia

American vocalist David Reece is probably best known to metal fans as the frontman on Accept’s ill-fated 1989 album Eat The Heat, but he has had a long career singing for a multitude of different bands. Black Utopia is his fifth solo album and follows hot on the heels of 2020’s Cacophony of Souls. It largely utilizes the same musicians, with German guitarist Andy Susemihl (ex-UDO) taking a key supporting role.

Whilst the album kicks off with a couple of up-tempo rockers, the mid-paced “Down To The Core� is more typical of the album’s signature style, with crunchy riffs and a dark, almost grungy feel, topped with Reece’s strong vocals, which get the balance between smooth and gritty just right. The songs have enough momentum to see them over the line even when the choruses aren’t that strong, which is the case with quite a few of these songs. “American Dream� is a power ballad and does represent a change of pace at least, although it’s not my favourite song on the album. There are no real standouts but also no clunkers, and those fans who like their hard rock with a dark, gritty edge could well find this album to their liking.

Tracklist:
01 Utopia
02 Red Blooded Hell Raiser
03 Down To The Core
04 Civil War
05 I Can’t Breathe
06 Most Of The Time
07 American Dream
08 Before We Fade Away
09 Hindsight Is 2020
10 Devil At My Doorstep
11 Save Me
12 Highway Child
13 Book Of Lies

Added: January 15th 2022
Reviewer: Tom De Val
Score:
Related Link: Artist Facebook Page
Hits: 783
Language: english

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