As a proud Texan I’m always happy to bring the best of what’s happening in my home state to the readers of Sentinel Daily, and the new record from Houston natives Love and War certainly qualifies as just that!
The core of the band, guitarist John Adams and vocalist Jeff Vandenberghe, have been sparring partners in one form or another for thirty eight years, but this is only the second album under their current guise of Love And War. They claim influence from the likes of UFO, MSG, Van Halen and The Scorpions, and if you like any of those acts you’d be mad as hell to let this diamond slip though your fingers!
From the opening cut We All Fall Down the band lays it down hard n’heavy; Adams and Vandenberghe are both in sparkling form, and the track announces the band’s entry to the ‘best album of 2020’ stakes in no uncertain terms. It’s also evident early on that L&W are a tad heavier than the sum of those influences…
Ray Soliz and Donnie Bragg are a classic hard rockin’ rhythm section, giving a thick and solid foundation that really sets the standard on tracks like melodic killer Final Destination or that already-mentioned opening cut. But there are plenty of solid hard rock acts out there, make no mistake, and Love And War would just be one of those without the brilliant work of the guitarist and his vocal compadre…
Vandenberghe is a powerhouse singing presence -his work on Final Destination is totally stellar, bringing balls-out power to the party for sure but without surrendering his ability to throw some melodic licks into the mix; Add this to the precise but flashy lead work of Adams and you got yourselves a no-messin’ dynamite combination!
Love and War may not reinvent the metal wheel on Edge of The World, but they sure as hell give it’s chrome a real nice, modern shine and you all are gonna love these boys when they come to your town. You need this record in your lives!
Edge of the World releases this month.
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