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BulletBoys: From Out Of The Skies
Bullet Boys - From Out Of The Skies CD Album Review

BulletBoys: From Out Of The Skies

Melodic Hard Rock/Metal
4.0/5.0

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Frontiers Music
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 10.03.2018

Having had a successful, but brief, run in the late Eighties and early Nineties, I thought BulletBoys were ancient history. But to my surprise, despite some hiccups along the way, BulletBoys have been surviving in the underground and recording albums, led by founder and vocalist Marq Torien (Mark Maytorena), the single constant. The band drops their eleventh studio album with From Out Of The Skies for Frontiers Music.

Bullet Boys Band Photo

Bullet Boys

I have little recollection of early BulletBoys music. While I remember their platinum-selling self-titled debut, I never heard or owned it. So From Out Of The Skies comes to me pretty much with no presuppositions or expectations. Basically, BulletBoys offers melodic hard rock with a modest metal edge. Most songs simply rock with good groove, strong bass lines, fine guitar solos, catchy melodies, and memorable refrains. Torien sings clean with strength and an attention to melody and harmony, but sounds nasal to me at times.

Turning to some song highlights, the album starts off with metal-infused rockers Apocolypto and D-Evil, which features Jesse Hughes of Eagles of Death Metal on vocals. Later, What Cha Don't begins with an early flurry of riffs and drums that move into a riff-roaring, big drum beat, rocker. With P.R.A.B., Bullet Boys drop in some quirky keyboards to start another metal injected riff rocker. Then at the midpoint or so there's a segue that has a near funk rock groove. It's not all hard rock and heavy. Both Hi-Fi Drive By and Once Upon A Time turn more on an AOR vibe in the melody, groove, and vocal arrangement. Then there's the ballads Losing End Again and Switchblade Butterfly which feature Torien's voice over acoustic guitar. Needless to say, From Out Of The Skies offers some variety in the songs which makes the album interesting, entertaining, and somewhat unpredictable. Recommended.



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The Bottom Line

BulletBoys' From Out Of The Skies offers some variety in the songs, which makes the album interesting, entertaining, and somewhat unpredictable. Recommended.

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