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DC4: Electric Ministry
DC4 Electric Ministry album new music review

DC4: Electric Ministry

Hard Rock/Heavy Metal
4.5/5.0

Independent
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by Craig Hartranft,  08.29.2011

DC4 resurrects and reinvigorates their roots by preaching the gospel of hard rock on their third release Electric Ministry. Wanting to get the Nineties out their system, DC4 chose to focus on guitar rock, add some serious metal attitude, and essentially turn the knobs to eleven. (You may not have heard of DC4, so here's a little rock history trivia for context. Guitarist Rowan Robertson replaced Craig Goldy in DIO in 1989 and performed on 1990's Lock Up the Wolves.)

Electric Ministry offers the groove of rock (the rhythm section kicks serious ass) with the heaviness of metal, but tempered by accessible melody and harmonious vocal arrangements. Passing over the intro, this is exactly what you get at the start in the rockers Electric Ministry, XXX, and Rock God. These tunes get your fist pumping and your toe tapping in equal measure, setting the tone for the album. This recurs later, more or less, on People, 25 to Life, and Translucent Life, but none of these have quite that rock groove of Electric Ministry or XXX. However, both People and Translucent Life are examples of the harmonious vocal arrangements tempering, but not diminishing, the heavy edge, something the modern, hardcore-infected, rock forgets. Sociopath, conversely, is song which seems to emphasize heaviness at the expense of accessibility.

In between these songs, DC4 offers something more akin to classic heavy metal on the longest track Broken Soul. The pace is moderate and heavy with big riffs and, despite its length surprisingly entertaining, thanks to two very good, and very different, guitar solos. Some listeners my hear a bit of Sabbath or Dio in the song as well. Two quasi-ballads round out the album. Dirty Hands invokes a more traditional style beginning with acoustic guitar and moving into slow and emotional movement. The Ballad of Rock and Roll seems heavier, but adds the sweetness of violin, a strong bass line, and finishes with a significant solo.

On Electric Ministry, DC4 proves, once more, that guitar-driven hard rock with strong melody, a metal edge, and big hooks will never go out of fashion and always entertain, especially when done this well. Very recommended.






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In Short

On Electric Ministry, DC4 proves, once more, that guitar-driven hard rock with strong melody, a metal edge, and big hooks will never go out of fashion and always entertain, especially when done this well.

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