SAY WHAT you will, but for band with the worst name in the world Kick Axe have made some damn fine records and 'Rock the World' is almost one of them...almost. Their hard rock riffomania remains, yet in these grooves is a distinct lack of spark.
The band are still on Epic Records, but from the low-budget self-production through to the tacky cover artwork there's a distinct air of desperation here.
Preening and pumping hard, the band opts for basic rock'n'roll textures rather than the assorted wackiness of earlier material, and wisdom suggests to me that this where things need urgent attention.
In fact, out of ten primitive tracks only two are in any way different; I'm referring here to the gross intensity of 'Red Line', a song in which the drummer manages to smash his entire kit to pulp and guitarist Larry Gillstrom runs out of fretboard during the solo, and a spiffing cover version of Fleetwood Mac's 'The Chain' (found on their 'Rumours' LP). The inherent weezy emotion of the song is Boston strangled by amazing Metallic KO guitar blasting and rhythm work that would be more at home on AC/DC track.
This is the Kick Axe we know and mostly love yet elsewhere things are rather simpler.
If you like metal in its basic form, say along the line present day Kiss, King Kobra and Keel, then the rest of the material will probably leave you satisfied but not crucified! Apart from that, there's not much write home about so I'll sign off here.
FOOTNOTE: it seems as though Kick Axe have now changed their name to Spectre General.
