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    Heaven's Metal #18/Idle Cure
    Idle Cure — Tough Love cover

    Idle Cure

    Tough Love

    Reviewed by Doug Van Pelt

    Listen on Apple Music
    Label Frontline RecordsHeaven's Metal #18September 1988
    aormelodic rock

    The new Idle Cure album...are we gonna hear some more songs like "Breakaway"? Not this time. Instead we have a plush, full sound similar to Whiteheart's "Emergency Broadcast". There's layer upon layer of textured harmonies here, sometimes as huge and ominous as the entire rhythm section, identifying Idle Cure as an arena-size pop rock band with an 80's accent of sax and keys. There's plenty of gritty vocals and crunchy guitars produced with a spit-shine polish. Bill Baumgar did another stellar job producing this one. If you're a hardcore headbanger, you might want to pass on this album. But, if you appreciate most of today's heavy pop sound, you'll probably like Idle Cure's new album. "Tough Love" is a little more consistent than their debut album, which featured almost as many styles and musical directions as number of cuts. All the songs on this album seem to go in the same direction. "Just Believe It" has the heaviest drum sound and clear cut power chords, while "Frontline" features the loudest vocal harmonies. If you thought you'd heard the ballad "So Many Faces" before, it's because the keyboard and drum intro sounds like a dead ringer for Whitesnake's "Is This Love?" Lyrically this album is very straightforward and evangelistic. "Barter Mercy" drives home the message that we can't cover up our sins to make ourselves or our ministries look good, because God sees right through our lies and will reveal our hearts judgment day. Overall, this is a good album that shouldn't be ignored by radio programmers. It'd be nice to see Idle Cure succeed at their airplay formula.

    More from Idle Cure

    Idle Cure — BreakawaysIdle Cure — Inside OutIdle Cure — 2nd AvenueIdle Cure — Idle Cure

    Also in Heaven's Metal #18

    Chosen — Solid RockForce 3 — Warrior of LightChosen Stranger — Lonely WorldRevelation — Spiritual WindParadox — Power and GloryVengeance — Human SacrificeVarious Artists — Metal Mardis GrasVarious Artists — East Coast MetalStraightway — One Way to HeavenThe Metal Monks — When the Son Comes Down