Album: Kill All Control
Release: 2011
Artist: George Lynch
Label: Rocket Science
Track Listing: 1) Kill All Control 2) Done 3) Fly on the Wall 4) Brand New Day 5) Wicked Witch 6) Voices in My Head 7) Resurrect Your Soul 8) Rattlesnake 9) Sun 10) Man On Fire 11) My Own Enemy 12) Son of Scary 13) Go It Alone
George Lynch has significantly moved on musically since his eighties heyday with Dokken and this latest release is another example of his ability to morph sonically to suit current trends. With all hopes of an original Dokken line-up reunion dead in the water, fans will have to make do with another Lynch solo record.
Like his first solo effort Sacred Groove, Kill All Control boasts an assortment of special guests. This time around we are treated to contributions from the likes of Keith St. John (Montrose, Burning Rain), Will Martin (Earshot), Marq Torien (Bulletboys) and Fred Coury (Cinderella). With a fine cast in place, Lynch stands in the shadows (no pun intended) for the majority of the album, keeping his shred chops at bay in favour of allowing the songs space to breathe. This works to an extent with tracks such as Fly on the Wall and Brand New Day being strong enough to stand up on their own merits. However the lack of solo embellishment on the opening two numbers results in short songs that feel lacking in substance and in much need of a spark from a glistening solo. Thankfully Lynch finds space to express himself during the likes of Wicked Witch and Resurrect Your Soul, delivering his signature style in a restrained and tasteful manner within well-crafted compositions.
A lot of people will predictably dip into this album to hear Lynch shred like it’s 1987, but here he has found a place in the true band format similar to the way Joe Satriani has with Chickenfoot. Gone are the hyperbolic solos and the clichéd hair metal lyrics and in their place lie collection of contemporary rock songs.
Son of Scary sees Lynch step fully into the spotlight, paying homage to Mr Scary to the point of using the original riffs and melodies. See it as Mr Scary – part 2. The instrumental is a highlight and is easily the best track on the second half which plods on with some mediocre tunes lacking fire such as My Own Enemy and Go It Alone.
Kill All Control contains a healthy selection of solid hard-rock anthems with elements of blues and even grunge with Voices in My Head sounding like a typical Alice in Chains number. Lynch has done well in developing his modern sound and his ability to use his technical talent only where needed shows his professionalism and maturity as a guitarist. Fans of Dokken and Lynch Mob shouldn’t hesitate to give this a spin, but if you’re a newcomer looking to check out Lynch’s chops you’d be better off starting with his eighties Dokken material.
Rating: [7]
TTT:
1) Wicked Witch
2) Son of Scary
3) Resurrect Your Soul
Reviewed by: Daniel Aston, 03/08/2011
