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COLD SWEAT
Unburied Alive
RFK Media 2024

Back in August of 1990 COLD SWEAT released their debut album Break Out on MCA, which didn't have the best track record for working, promoting, and breaking hard rock or metal acts. COLD SWEAT was founded by former KEEL guitarist Marc Ferrari who was looking at follow up the momentum that he had generated with KEEL before they disbanded. Oni Logan was the original frontman of COLD SWEAT before George Lynch lured him away to join him and Mick Brown in their post-DOKKEN project LYNCH MOB. Ferrari and company enlisted singer Roy Cathey, and he appeared on the Break Out album. While COLD SWEAT got the jump on Lynch and Logan in terms of releasing an album, LUNCH MOB's October 1990 release went on to be the better selling and more consistent album.

COLD SWEAT disappeared about as quickly as they appeared, even though they got on rotation on Z-Rock, which I would listen to daily and heard "Let's Make Love Tonight" on there. They shot a video for the song on their tour supporting Ronnie James Dio. I recall they were on a triple bill with COLD SWEAT opening, often before people made their way into the arena. If you look at some of the footage of the "Let's Make Love Tonight" video there's some close-up shots of the audience and it looks like they tried to make them as sharp as possible in order to not depict a 'light' crowd during the COLD SWEAT set. It happens with new and established acts that are a multiple bill regardless of how good or not they really are. I picked up Break Out when it was released because I was a fan of Marc's work with KEEL and was curious with the link between Lynch and Logan. I really enjoyed "Four On The Floor", it's a great driving album opener. Other notables were "Cryin' Shame", "Long Way Down" and I really love "Killing Floor". I was indifferent to the rest of the album as it deviated from tune to tune and the softer stuff didn't suit them as well. The Willie Dixon cover of "I Just Want To Make Love To You" wasn't in their wheelhouse at all. I just couldn't take that seriously.

COLD SWEAT disbanded and wasn't heard from again, at least by me until they appeared on the bill for the Monsters Of Rock Cruise a few years ago. It was 2020 to be exact. I saw them at the pre-party show. They performed a 10-11 song set and sounded great. I got to hear my four favorite tunes and then some. This leads to the latest COLD SWEAT album which is a compilation of old, new, and live material. The album is titled Unburied Alive and features four unearthed studio tunes, "Rain Down", "Claim To Fame", "Long Gone" and "Out on My Own". And we got six tunes from the MORC pre-party show in 2020 amongst the tunes, my favorites "Four On The Floor", "Cryin' Shame", "Long Way Down" and "Killing Floor". They've included a very muffled, virtually unlistenable "I Just Wanna Make Love To You"/"Cryin' Shame"/"Killing Floor" from a 1990 festival appearance. I could have lived without that and would have favored another live track (or two) from the 2020 pre-party personally.

My other grievance is the crowd noise. Live material has been 'enhanced' for ages. In the case of the MORC recordings, there has been some enhancing and probably a bit too much to the point that it's slightly distracting. I remember years ago being on hold on Rockline. I was waiting to ask a question to a major rock act about their live album. I had a conversation with KNAC legend DJ Will (Rockline producer) about live albums. He used the term 'sweetening' when referring to fixing that happened after the fact. Don't get me wrong, the pre-party audience was lubricated and having a ball by that point, whether they knew of COLD SWEAT or their material or not they were into it, but it didn't sound like that. All in all, a decent compilation for the fans or those that are curious and missed the band the first time around. In an ironic twist LYNCH MOB and COLD SWEAT have been announced as performers for the 2025 MORC.

3.0 Out Of 5.0