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Murder Bay: Never Was An Angel

Melodic Hard Rock

3.5/5.0

Website (Label)
Eonian Records
by Craig Hartranft,  03.26.2012

Time once again to reach for your tight leather pants and can of AquaNet. Here's archival recordings of San Francisco's Murder Bay, Never Was An Angel from Eonian Records.

Murder Bay: Eighties hair deja vu.

Murder Bay was another unsigned regional phenomena of the late Eighties, plugging away from the Bay Area to sunny Los Angeles. You'll note their melodic hard rock sound to be common of the day. They're less Crue and Poison, and maybe more a mix of Ratt and Cinderella. But considering the plethora of bands back in the day, the sounds can run together like sidewalk color chalk on a rainy day.

They could deliver crackin' catchy rock with Land of Plenty or Long Time Comin, two of the finest track here. They get their groove on with a quick boogie feel on the strangely titled Song?. Or Murder Bay can simply be cliche as with Honey Child. Of course, there's a ballad; the rather uninteresting Around Again. And signs of pure genius, and rising above the fray of their peers, in the very nice Simple Man, a subtle and charming anthem.

If anything Murder Bay's Never Was An Angel is another glimpse into late Eighties melodic hard rock, and a good one at that. But they're days were numbered. Recommended for collectors and fans.

Murder Bay's Never Was An Angel is another glimpse into late Eighties melodic hard rock, and a good one at that. But they're days were numbered.

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The Powell Payne project, created in 2022 is the collaboration of Mark "Penfold Powell (ex-drummer of Psycho Kiss) and Adam Payne (former vocalist of Airrace). With guitarist Adam Davies and keyboard player ... [ Read More ]