Rez
Innocent Blood
Reviewed by Doug Van Pelt
"Rooster Crow" starts off this album with a down South acoustic tune with passionate delivery and lyrics by Glenn Kaiser. It acts as an intro for "Altar of Pain", which immediately comes rippin' through the speakers at full trot. Rez released a t-shirt a while back that read "hard rock for hard hearts." Never before has that slogan fit Rez so well. This song gits down with all the grit Rez fans have come to love. "80,000 Underground" finds Roy Montroy's bass very loud and very alive. The crunchin' rhythms are reminiscent of Led-Zeppelin. "The House Is on Fire" reveals a prophet's heart, anguished and wishing God hadn't told him the message he heard - judgement, shaking, and purifying. The intro to "Where Roses Grow" brought out shouts of "Oh yeah!" the first time I heard it...with a passionate blues guitar line. A nice and long blues number capturing the sweat and character of Glenn Kaiser. I hear rumors that he's working on an all-blues album, of which this would be a choice cut. "Right on Time" has a hook! Wendi Kaiser's lead vocals and the keyboards create a Jefferson Starship feel, something I've never heard from Rez. The keys play too major a role for this rocker, holding the song back. The prominent role of the keys could've been substituted, possibly, by acoustic guitar for a better effect. "Child of the Blues" again travels far down South for a steel-guitar/Delta sound. Quite a surprise is the appearance of The Who classic, "Bargain", performed here with all the gusto of that legendary British quartet. "Great God in Heaven" ends the album with a rousing blues number performed by Glenn - accompanied only by harmonica and a heavy pounding sound, similar to a fist on an acoustic guitar body. This one would make a Darrell Mansfield or even a Blind Willie Johnson proud. Overall, I think this is the best produced Rez album I've heard. It's very thick and full - it practically sounds live. It doesn't have the commercial hooks of past recordings, but still digs some deep grooves.