Customer Reviews

Relentless

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Finally, a veteran rock band doesn't "redefine their artistic vision" and release a watered down album of sissy rock! Right from the opening track "If You Want It Heavy(I Weigh A Ton)", this album reaches out, ... smacks, and then continues to pummel the unsuspecting listener's dance music/r&b/techno rock head until they submit. Songs like; "Mr. Evil" and "Heaven Don't Want Me(And Hells's Afraid I'll Take Over)" are sure to make some hide their Creed cd's. Brian Johnson of AC/DC growls guest vocals on "Kill The Sunshine", another catchy but powerful tune. If you like rock without a twist, buy this album now!.

this is the best jackyl disc since the first cd, but i like this one even better,start to finish it don`t stop with riffs & kick butt bass ,drums, vocals it has it all!kill the sun shine doesn`t put a smile onyour face nothin` will.

This is the first Jackyl cd I've purchased and won't be the last. This is a straight ahead metal band that writes catchy tunes with good choruses. I think that holds true for every one of the 12 songs on this cd. I really don't consider any of them a "filler", and that's rare for me. If you've heard about the chainsaw playing, it's cool on the record and live, but that's not what they're really about. They don't indulge in fancy and/or extended arrangments. Don't get me wrong, I love that too, but there's a time for "4 on the floor" metal that's beautiful in it's simplicity, like AC/DC's Back in Black. Now, if you want to call it 80's, I won't argue with you, but I like it. Their lead singer's voice, the centerpiece of their sound, is similar to AC/DC's Brian Johnson, but they're unique enough that I'm not thinking of AC/DC when I'm listening to them. I'll also mention that I've had the opportunity to see them live twice in the last year, and they're a really fun band to watch. They're also more than happy to sign autographs and take pictures after the show. How many bands do that? I'll make my final pitch for this album this way. I drive 85 miles a day, and this is the only cd I've had in my car for two months. The only other cd that has ridden shotgun with me for even close to that long is Motley Crue's Shout at the Devil and that's because I can't find Back in Black.

OFF, to a new campane of kickin it! This record rocks! Its guitars drums and screamin! It aint polished and it aint for the week hearted. Jesse is screamin his best lyrics since the first album and the guitars are a milion miles an hour. Every song is awesome! The first song 'If you wna it heavy' gets you up and dosnt stop until the last 'More you hate it'. 'Billy Badass' brings back the best instrument ever...the chainsaw! 'Vegas Smile' is one of there best songs ever! And they thoght General Sherman in Georgia was bad...General Dupree is going to cut a firey path through the pop world destroying all... music in his path!

I have read the pertinacious record critics reviews of this album and also have read some fan reviews echoing their sentiments. So, what did these fans want out of this album? An attempt at being contemporary and sounding completely out of place like some other albums by established bands? This album rocks! Take MY word for it!

While others may call this album Jackyl being their 80's self, which is a laugh because the band was formed in 1990 and only released their first album in 1992 so fundamentally they're wrong from the start, I call it a breath of fresh air in an otherwise drowning era of metal. The songs are proud to be rockers and proud to be energetic. You know, when it is obvious that the musicians are actually enjoying what they are playing as much as the fans are listening to it? Rarely found in today's "look at your feet and feel sorry for yourself" music but Jackyl is loud and proud baby!

Kill the Sunshine is a solid rocker with assisted lyrics from AC/DC front man Brian Johnson. Speaking of AC/DC, did anybody else stop dead in their tracks when Mr. Evil came on? If Bon Scott was ever reincarnated, he came back to sing Mr. Evil for Jackyl! I also love the attitude in I'm On Fire and The More You Hate It (It Makes Me Want It More.) But, I admit that there are a few things that I am not completely thrilled by. "Billy Badass" is a far too modern sounding tune that pushes the button of rap metal a touch too hard. I don't listen to nor respect rap metal and if that is what this album was about, I wouldn't have purchased it. I also could have used a touch more chainsaw! But, one sour grape out of a dozen does not ruin an album. It still rocks!

This is not an album that a Staind fan would enjoy. But, I wonder if people that listen to that style of rock are even in search for enjoyment. I like fun. I like high energy entertainment and that is what this album is. If that's old fashioned or "played out," guilty as charged. But, I love it and always will.

The first and last tracks are classic hard driving Jackyl songs, everything in between suffers from the lifelessness of studio recording. The exceptions being Down this Road Before which is utterly inexcusable for a band that once swore, "no ballads" and Sparks from Candy which I'm sure is phenomenal when performed live.

As a side note, is it just me or does Jackyl continue to sound more and more 80's as we drift away from that decade? And no, I'm not one of those people that would consider that a good thing. Kill the Sunshine, reminds me a lot of Def Leppord (without the empathetic wheezing vocals) or a similar band.

If your new to Jackyl I'd recommend their first two albums. A live Jackyl show, on the other hand, is not to be missed by anyone.

from the time i first heard the first jackyl cd ..i knew whatever they would do would be awesome .. relentless is one of those cds .. this cd is a heavy metals"s masterpiece. the whole cd has rhythm.. and it kicks.. ya out of your boots...

Jackyl's somewhat disappointing Cut the Crap album, coupled with the sub-par clips of new material provided on the band's Web site, set expectations for Relentless pretty low. But listeners will be pleasantly surprised: It's a killer effort comparable to the band's 1992 self-titled debut.

Dropping most of the introspection and world-weariness that brought Cut the Crap down, Relentless returns to form with attitude, rowdiness and Southern-redneck pride galore.

"You want it heavy? / Well G-- damn / I weigh a ton," screams Jesse James Dupree in the first seconds of the record, and the "relentless" assault of loud guitars and top-of-the-lungs-but-perfectly-in-tune vocals rarely lets up through the 40-minute disc.

Some highlights are "Kill the Sunshine," written in part by Brian Johnson of AC/DC, and the blues ballad "Lend Me a Hand." The latter is one of the quieter moments on the album despite its intense chorus.

There are, however, things that could have been done better. Sometimes the rhythm guitars sound like they're being played through a telephone, and a few tracks could have been left off.

"Heaven Don't Want Me (And Hell's Afraid I'll Take Over)" is listenable but doesn't live up to the standards set by the rest of the album.

The only thoroughly worthless track is "Billy Badass," apparently included just to keep with tradition: every Jackyl record has to have a chainsaw played as a musical instrument on one track.

It does have the hilarious Al Gore diss "I was the first to stand up against the PMRC," though, and it grows on you over time.

Overall, Relentless is a remarkable album, rescuing the band from a steady musical decline. The self-titled record is still the best of the catalog, but Relentless ranks a solid second.

I bought this because "AC/DC's Brian Johnson" co wrote "Kill The Sunshine" with the group! but with the lacking members and everythign else, this album failed to be as great as the previous ones! I recomend there self titles album over this one!

This album is a great example of what is missing in rock-n-roll. These boys from the south continue to supply plenty of great inspiration for people who love to rock!!