Testify
Untitled release
Reviewed by Doug Van Pelt
When I first heard that Eric Turner was the guitarist for Testify, I waited anxiously to hear how it'd sound - for I've been a big Darrell Mansfield fan for over 10 years and Eric was Darrell's sidekick for many of those years. I'm sad to say I was disappointed when I finally heard his new band.
Testify does a decent job of cranking out the standard 80's commercial rock sound, but it has no bite to it. Vocalist Steven Urenda has personality and zip to his vocals, but the songs don't flatter him well. You can hear good drum licks by Danny Peck and choice lead breaks by Eric, but the parts don't add up to an exciting sum. It's not bad music, but it sits between addictive pop hooks and blitzing hard rock.
Two songs that break out of this position are the moving ballad, "The Way," and "Walk With Me," which crafts a big hook with a good BGV line in the chorus, but the main vocal lines are weak.
To order, send $10.95 (plus $1.95 postage) to: Royalty Records, PO Box 4647, Anaheim, CA 92803-4647.