Welcome to the LOUDEST DOT COM ON THE PLANET!
KNAC.COM News Reviews and More Watch The Latest Videos Buy KNAC T-shirts and More


MARCO MENDOZA Viva La Rock

By Daniel Höhr, European Correspondent
Tuesday, March 27, 2018 @ 6:36 AM


- advertisement -
MARCO MENDOZA
Viva La Rock

Mighty Music, 2018




The list of artists and acts bassist Marco Mendoza has worked with throughout his career is stunning and reads like a who's who of rock music. Amongst the more illustrious names are BLUE MURDER, THIN LIZZY, David Coverdale (Mendoza played on his solo album Into The Light), WHITESNAKE, Dolores O'Riordan, Tim "Ripper" Owens, LYNCH MOB, BLACK STAR RIDERS, and, most notably, THE DEAD DAISIES. His third solo album, Viva La Rock, was released on 2 March through Mighty Music and is the first collection of his own material in seven years. And what a collection it is.

Put the album on and the title track, a fiery, high-octane hard rock number will hit you in the face and most possibly grab you by the balls before you can say 'rock 'n' roll' – and this is just the beginning of the album. Mendoza and his musicians slow down a bit for the catchy “Sue Is On The Run”, a song about a teenage girl facing some changes in her life. She runs away from her broken home but can't find her way – a topic somehow reminiscent of the BON JOVI classic “Runaway” but presented entirely differently. Now, we have heard the expression 'rocket man' quite a few times in recent months but, needless to say, it sounds indefinitely better in the context of Marco Mendoza's song with the same title – a stompy hard rock groover that is best played enormously loud. The good ol' boy-meets-girl story is dealt with in “Sweetest Emotion”, another mid-tempo rocker with a cool Latin-style riff in the intro and the chorus. In “Chinatown”, featuring Mike Tramp, Mendoza audibly pays tribute to his time spent with THIN LIZZY. “Burned” is a hypnotic, riffy rocker with an anthemic hook line in the chorus followed by the refreshingly funky “Love 2 U”. The ballad “Leah” is dedicated to Marco Mendoza's wife – the lead guitar work is bound to send shivers down your spine. “Hey Baby” is about Mendoza's time spent with Ted Nugent and, just like “Chinatown” picks up the style of THIN LIZZY, the music is more than just reminiscent of Ted Nugent and incredibly good fun to listen to. The final track, “Let It Flow”, initially introduces quite a different, cooler and more mellow sound to the album. The track's melody unfolds over a subdued eighth-note groove, Hammond sounds and slightly distorted guitar arpeggios before it builds up to a much heavier climax. Definitely my favorite song on the album.

In addition to being the bass player extraordinaire that he is, Marco Mendoza once more presents himself on Viva La Rock as a great songwriter and exceptional singer in his own right. The ten tracks on the album do not only show his musical versatility but also testify the sheer joy of rock music. The musicians must have had great fun recording the stirring rock songs with all kinds of different musical influences. It is certainly good fun to listening to, partly because of the freshness that comes across, but also because of the great musical performance. Each of the songs has hit potential and all the them are bound to take you on a musical roller coaster ride that will make you addicted.

This record is a dynamic testimony that rock music is more alive than ever. Viva la rock!

5.0 Out Of 5.0


Back to Top

 

 

 Recent Reviews
RHAPSODY OF FIRE Challenge The Wind
THE AMITY AFFLICTION, CURRENTS, DYING WISH, MUGSHOT In Boston, MA With Photos!
BLUE OYSTER CULT Ghost Stories
BLACK VEIL BRIDES In Houston, TX With Photos!
GATECREEPER Dark Superstition
AMON AMARTH, CANNIBAL CORPSE, OBITUARY, FROZEN SOUL In Portland, OR With Photos!
ULI JON ROTH In Ottawa, Canada
RAVEN, VICIOUS RUMORS, LUTHARO In Ottawa, Canada
BLIND GUARDIAN, NIGHT DEMON In Worcester, MA With Photos!
FIREWIND, EDGE OF PARADISE, IMMORTAL GUARDIAN In Houston, TX With Photos!
KERRY KING From Hell I Rise
DARKTHRONE It Beckons Us All
KAMELOT, HAMMERFALL, AD INFINITUM In Fort Worth, TX With Photos!
ASKING ALEXANDRIA, MEMPHIS MAY FIRE, THE WORD ALIVE, NERV In Salt Lake City, UT
ARTILLERY, VAPOR, POTENTIAL THREAT, INFRARED In Ottawa, Canada
BABYLON A.D. Rome Wasn't Built In A Day
ILLUSORY The Ivory Tower Reissue
GHOSTKID Hollywood Suicide
DAATH The Deceivers
ACCEPT Humanoid
BRUCE DICKINSON In Santa Ana, CA With Photos!
GREAT WHITE, SLAUGHTER, QUIET RIOT In Houston, TX With Photos!
STATIC-X, SEVENDUST, LINES OF LOYALTY In Salt Lake City, UT With Photos!
JUDAS PRIEST, SABATON In Youngstown, OH With Photos!
ROCK & BREWS Ridgefield, WA Grand Opening With Photos!
WIND ROSE, XANDRIA, LYCANTHRO In Ottawa, Canada
THE ROCK ORCHESTRA By Candlelight In Myrtle Beach, SC With Photos!
DEICIDE Banished By Sin
2024 MONSTERS OF ROCK CRUISE Recap With Photos!
LITA FORD In West Hollywood, CA With Photos!
BREAKING BENJAMIN, DAUGHTRY, CATCH YOUR BREATH In Idaho Falls, ID With Photos!
TYGERS OF PAN TANG Live Blood
FILTH Southern Hostility
NECROT Lifeless Birth



HOME | MAGAZINE | VIDS | STORE | HELP/POLICIES

©2024 KNAC.COM. All Rights Reserved.    Link to us    Advertise with us    Privacy policy
 Latest News