Remember when David Zaffiro used to play in Bloodgood? He'd do a smokin' "guitar burn" solo every show that would blow people away. You'd never guess he had mellow music in him...that is, until the third Bloodgood album "Rock in a Hard Place" was released. Since then this man has produced two Holy Soldier records and recorded two of his own. This one is the mellowest of the three, but it's got some goodies the other two didn't. The first surprise is the inclusion of guest vocalist Randall Waller, who fronted Australia's Avion for several years (was even signed to EMI Records until an unfortunate car accident killed the band's keyboardist). The title track captures Randall in his usual surroundings--well-performed, melodic hard rock. He's got a great smooth voice that invites radio airplay. This is the tallest standout cut on the album, with the lead-off track, "Find my Way," coming in a close second. "Find my Way" is a subdued, acoustic-in-the-back propelled tune (now recognizable as a Zaffiro trademark). These nice, warm tracks with plenty of sonic depth and groove. All that aside (in this reviewer's opinion), the choicest moments on the album are the three instrumentals: "Silas and Serai," a beautiful, flowing instrumental with sweeping guitar melody; "Attitude," a instrumental rocker with a little guitar wow thrown in here and there; and "No Long Goodbyes," more guitar wow, with tasty, melodic lines drawn. "Every Little Thing" features some of the only real all-out jamming in the context of a song, where everyone turns up the heat and goes after it. The jangly acoustic guitar background is very infectious. I can see this one attracting a crowd on the street. As always, David's lyrics are thoughtful, heartfelt, and offer something deeper than "repent and believe." "Find my Way" is written for a friend of his who was going through a divorce. The song "is a statement of courage to take the first step toward saving a marriage," says David in his liner notes. "Calling out to Me" is another Zaffiro song about death, this one dedicated to a close childhood friend who is dying of AIDS. The title track is about a recent time where David found himself dealing with a physical adversity that threatened to end his ability to continue in music. It's a touching song that chronicles his necessity to surrender all to Jesus. Another quality album by Zippy, but this one doesn't have enough blazing leads or heavy beats to court the hard rock/metal crowd for long. Fans of Foreigner will be most attracted.
Other coverage for this album
Syndicate Nov/Dec 1992Reviewed by Arsenio OrtezaDavid Zaffiro's brushes with the big time include membership in Bloodgood during that Seattle Christian metal band's early days and production credit on the first, and unjustly maligned, Holy Soldier album, as well as their second. Although Bloodgood, metaphorically speaking, never lived up to the last half of its name as much as it did the first, the Holy Soldier project was a sonic wonder.…
