Welcome to the LOUDEST DOT COM ON THE PLANET!
|
|
|
|
|
Cornerstone Human Stain
By
Daniel Höhr,
European Correspondent
Tuesday, February 26, 2002 @ 12:15 AM
(Massacre)
|
|
|
Cornerstone was founded by former Rainbow singer Dougie White and Royal Hunt bassman Steen Mogensen and their first album Arrival received some good reviews when it came out in December 2000. In the meantime drummer Allen Sorensen (ex-Royal Hunt) and guitarist Kaspar Damgaard (Mike Tramp) have been recruited and now the second Cornerstone album is on the shelves.
Ever since Rainbow's Stranger In Us All, there has been no doubt that Dougie White is an exceptional singer, who can easily master both Dio and Joe Lynn Turner-type vocal lines. Musically, the name Cornerstone stands for old-school heavy rock, dressed-up in a slightly more modern sound. It seems as if Cornerstone are still searching for their individual language. A lot on the record sounds like Rainbow - "Wounded Land" - or Deep Purple in their brief Joe Lynn Turner period in the early nineties. Especially "Some People Fly" and "Future Rising" remind me very much of DP's Slaves And Masters album. The ten tracks on Human Stain are nonetheless catchy songs that have the same potential as some of those by Cornerstone's role models. Driving hard rock riffs coupled with a good-old Hammond ("Midnight In Tokyo") alternate with mid-tempo grooves ("Resurrection Sympathy") and bluesy ballads ("Singing Alone" and "Sail On Stormy Waters"). I don't know if it was really necessary to include yet another 'quotation' of Led Zeppelin's "Kashmir" riff in "Forever Young." It's been done ever so often and, hey, come up with something original!
On the plus side there's Dougie White's outstanding vocal performance, the playing and the clear production sound. The album is definitely recommended to heavy rock fans who like Purple, Rainbow, Dio and Thin Lizzy, or who simply look for timeless hard rock songs with great vocals. Those who look for great musical novelties might be slightly disappointed by this album.
**1/2
|
|
|
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! |
HOME | MAGAZINE | VIDS | STORE | HELP/POLICIES
|