LINE-UP
Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple) – bass, vocals
Doug Aldrich (Whitesnake, Dio) – guitars
Deen Castronovo (Bad English, Journey) – drums
David Lowy (Red Phoenix, Mink) – guitars
Producer Ben Grosse
TRACKLIST
1. Holy Ground (Shake The Memory) 2. Like No Other (Bassline)
3. Come Alive 4.Bustle And Flow 5. My Fate
6. Chosen And Justified 7. Saving Grace
8.Unspoken 9. 30 Days In The Hole
10. Righteous Days 11. Far Away
The Dead Daisies are back with their fifth studio album Holy Ground. The 11-song effort was produced Ben Grosse. Holy Ground marks Glenn Hughes’ first recorded outing with the band, replacing both John Corabi and Marco Mendoza.
To be honest I thought the band had hit pay dirt with John Corabi. His gritty vocals fit perfectly with The Daisies' brand of big riffs, catchy choruses, bluesy hard rock. I thought that the band had become a cohesive touring and recording unit with 2018s Burn It Down being one of the best rock albums to come out in a very long time.
Needless to say, I was extremely disappointed to hear that Corabi was no longer part of the band.
The good news was that "The Voice of Rock" Glenn Hughes was brought in so that that the band could continue its mission of spreading good old’ time rock n'roll to the masses.
Even though Hughes is a music icon and has fronted numerous bands. I was a little apprehensive as to what Hughes would bring to the table, and would it be a good fit for the band. The bigger questions were how would the album sound compared to past releases, and would this new line-up be as good as the last one?
After a couple of listens to Holy Ground, all I can say is this. The album doesn’t sound as gritty as the past few releases, but it's still one hell of a record that deserves its rightful place alongside the rest of the band's impressive catalogue. Glenn Hughes’ funk and R&B influences add a great groove to the band's trademark big riffs and catchy choruses, blues-infused rock.
As for the line-up change, it does take a couple of listens to get over the fact that Corabi is no longer singing. Once you do, you'll be glad you stuck around to hear the latest release from the band.
This Glenn Hughes incarnation of The Dead Daisies is a different beast than the Corabi helmed era, but it is still a monster line-up in its own rite.
Holy Ground is just a great rock album that is well played and well-produced, it’s all killer and no filler. The album as a whole is a highlight but if I have to choose my favorite tracks it would be the following; the funky; Like No Other (Bassline) , the mid-tempo hard rocker; My Fate, the 70’s sounding; Come Alive , Chosen and Justified, the Aerosmith- esque ; Bustle and Flow, and the epic 7 minute plus album closer Far Away.
This may be a new incarnation of the band, but the end result is the same. Holy Ground is another fine example that rock is far from being dead. Holy Ground is an album made to be played loud showcasing stellar musicianship, muscular vocals, bluesy riffs, big choruses, powerful melodies and strong hooks.
What a great way to start 2021.
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