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LZ Records / Sony Red
by Craig Hartranft, 21.02.2014
The origins of EZ Livin' date back to 1991, when Bonfire guitarist Hans Ziller formed the band and had a one-off debut album, After The Fire. Better than 20 years later, Ziller returns with some new recruits, namely drummer Harry Reischmann (Bonfire), bassist Ronnie Parkes (Tango Down, Seven Witches), keyboard player Paul Morris (Rainbow), and ex-Accept vocalist David Reece, for Firestorm.
The musical theme here is basically that hybrid of melodic hard rock and metal, featuring Ziller tearing up the fret board. Basic hard rockers come with That's How He Rocks, Loaded Gun, which could have been a KISS song as Reece sounds like Paul Stanley on it, and Into the Night, although this one ventures more towards power metal with it's speed. White Lightning almost sound like heavy metal with a tinge of blues. Nearly the same with the ballad Let's Fly Away, a little blues hint. Others, The Damage Is Done and Too Late offer that hybrid, but in a more slow burning groove. Sometimes the stuff reminds me of late period Rainbow, but that might be a stretch.
The band covers Uriah Heep's Easy Living, giving it a heavier slower groove than the original. They do a nice job with the vocal arrangement, yet the song does not have speed and catchy flair of the original. In the end, I found the song selection somewhat eclectic, whilst still finding the same hard rock theme throughout. But excepting Loaded Gun, nothing really jumped out the speakers and grabbed my attention. Nevertheless, if you like Hans Ziller's guitar work and his band Bonfire, you'll probably like EZ Livin' and Firestorm.
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If you like Hans Ziller's guitar work and his band Bonfire, you'll probably like EZ Livin' and Firestorm.
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