Doug Aldrich I consider one of the most underrated guitar players in the world. I really dig his hard rock with a groove type of playing. So when I heard he was part of this new Whitesnake line up (together with the fantastic Reb Beach) I had high hopes for this record. I mean, when David Coverdale is in shape, and accompanied by this quality players, you can´t go wrong. Or can you?
First a little about the production. This is a full and heavy sounding record. But a little more definition would have been nice. Keyboards are pretty low in the mix and the bass you feel but you have to make a conscious effort to actually hear it. Not that it is bad mind you, it is just heavy on the guitars. (And that coming from a guitar player 😉 )
First song is to me a typical Aldrich tune, fast with groove and melody. We hear it fortunately more on this CD. And despite rumours that David isn´t always cutting it live, here he seems al right. Track 4 is a typical Whitesnake ballad.
So I guess Coverdale set out to make another instant recognizable album and I feel they succeeded. However, little experimenting here. What you get is a band knowing what they want and how to do that. That makes it very enjoyable and a must have for the fans. But will it bring them new ones? I doubt it.
Oh, and if you like Dougs playing on the album, make sure you check out his other bands!
Personal play tips: Best Years, Good To Be Bad, A Fool In Love.