Someone must be missing the days of Rainbow real bad, looking at all the promotion that is going into Dig, the current album for Blackmore adept Stuart Smith´s Heaven & Earth. Just look up the pro videos released this year! And you know what, I don´t mind at all, because I am not only a sucker for that type of hard rock, but this band are no copycats, but pull the right stuff out of the hat.
Yes, it is no secret where the inspiration comes from, but when the result is this good and convincing, who cares? Joe Retta is singing like a young Joe Lynn Turner, Stuart is a Blackmore reincarnated (without the alleged attitude problems I hope) and with people like Richie Onori on drums, Chuck Wright (!) on bass and one Arlan Schierbaum on Hammond (! again ) and synths, nothing can go wrong. Whether it is the softer tracks like I Don´t Know What Love Is or A Day Like Today, or the rocking vibes of Victorious, No Money No Love or Back In Anger, I love this trip down memory lane. Times where this music was actually rotating on radio and TV. Sadly those days are gone, but it is great that this band is keeping the flame alive. Love it!
