Year : 1985 (Japan Edition 1988)
Style : Melodic Hard Rock
Country : United States
Audio : 320 kbps + all scans + Videos
Size : 124 mb
Bio:
HURRICANE is a Los Angeles based hard rock metal band formed in 1984 by guitarist Robert Sarzo (QUEENSRYCHE Gt) and bassist Tony Cavazo (QUIET RIOT/ SNOW). The band’s current line-up includes drummer Mike Hansen, who has performed and recorded with such artists as George Lynch and Steve Vai. Recently HURRICANE recruited lead vocalist Chad Cancino, a native Angelino, who first worked with Robert Sarzo on his solo project. In 2014, HURRICANE toured the United States with QUEENSRYCHE Gt and headlined venues. HURRICANE is currently in the studio recording a new album and video, set to release in 2018. The new music can be described as heavy and intense with current melodies, similar to HURRICANE’s past musical achievements.HURRICANE has toured arenas with Iron Maiden, Gary Moore, Cheap Trick, Stryper, The Michael Schenker Group, Queensryche Gt, Rick Derringer, and headlined sold-out tours across Japan. HURRICANE has worked with many award-winning producers such as Mike Clink (Guns N Roses) and Bob Ezrin (KISS, Alice Cooper).HURRICANE formed in the early 80’s when Cavazo was introduced to Sarzo by the late Quiet Riot front man, Kevin DuBrow, who suggested they put a band together. In 1985, HURRICANE signed a major record deal with ENIGMA/ CAPITOL RECORDS and released their first album TAKE WHAT YOU WANT; a self-titled music video “HURRICANE” was released and rotated on MTV’s Headbanger’s Ball. In 1988, their most successful album OVER THE EDGE was released and charted on Billboard’s Top 100, as well as the band's most successful Billboard Top 40 hit, "I’M ON TO YOU". The album featured a cover of Alice Cooper’s hit “I’M 18”. The title track, “OVER THE EDGE” was released as a single. The music videos “I’M ON TO YOU” and “OVER THE EDGE” ranked #1 in video requests and rotated on MTV. The album was distributed in the United States, Europe and Japan.
Album:
Hurricane attracted my attention initially because I was a Quiet Riot fan.I considered Hurricane to be a “brother” band to Quiet Riot.Bassist Tony Cavazo’s brother Carlos was in Quiet Riot.Guitarist Robert Sarzo also had a brother, in Rudy.I loved that Carlos played bass, and Robert played guitar.I just knew that they chose those instruments so they could have jammed with their brothers, on guitar and bass respectively.Perhaps Hurricane are best known as a band that launched its members into higher orbits.Robert Sarzo has been a member of Geoff Tate’s Queensryche.Drummer Jay Schellen is in Yes.Singer Kelly Hansen is with Foreigner.Big names!Their debut EP was not a bad start.It boasted one single/video that impressed me as a kid, but we’ll get there.The original EP opened with “Take Me In Your Arms”, a tough little rock crooner with a great chorus.Right from the get-go, it’s the singer that impresses.The production buried him a bit too far back in the mix.It may be a case of “too many cooks”, as Kevin Beamish, Mike Clink and Hurricane all get co-production credits, with Bob Ezrin in an executive role!The swampy backing vocals don’t really help, but fortunately Hansen was more than capable of driving a chorus home.It was also obvious that Jay Schellen was going to go places. His drumming here is far from simplistic, standard rock cliches.The second track gives Tony and Jay a chance to jam a bit before Robert comes in with some squealing guitar.“The Girls Are Out Tonight” is not especially remarkable, but like the preceding song, it has a great little chorus to go with some pretty poor lyrics.“Laughin’ and talkin’ about the boys, with whom you want to be seen.”You don’t see the word “whom” in rock lyrics very often, I’ll concede.The MVPs on this track are Tony Cavazo with a rollicking bassline, and Robert Sarzo with some great 80s excess on guitar.The title track “Take What You Want” goes third, with an ominous little riff to open it.There’s a vibe here somewhere between Journey and Kiss.Hansen impresses thoroughly with those pipes!The mood of the song isn’t consistent however, going for a more cliched rock vibe on the verses, while the chorus just smokes.Almost a great song, but not quite.Hurricane’s eponymous track was the single/video back in the day, and immediately impressed with the riff.Traditional metal with a hint of exotic,“Hurricane” was my favourite song for two weeks straight.“You’re like a hurricane comin’, you don’t forgive!”Get pumped up and rock this tune on repeat.It’s great.“It’s Only Heaven” features Robert Sarzo and Tony Cavazo making really cool, atmospheric sounds with their instruments.Then Schellen comes in with a classic drum beat, followed by Kelly Hansen.This ballad could have been a Scorpions song, perhaps.Vocally it’s very different from the Scorps, but Klaus can sing anything he wants.Though slow, this ballad could have gone down in history like similar songs by Dokken…except for a really bad key change almost six minutes into the song.Otherwise, it’s pretty epic and spectacular.Somebody should have chopped the last minute and a half of it though.Back to the hard rockin’,“Hot and Heavy” was the closing song on the original EP.It gets the job done.It’s fast, rippin’ with shout along hooks, and ready to tear it down.Robert Sarzo illuminates the sky with guitar pyrotechnics. Good little tune. Nothing remarkable of course, but adequate for the task.The whole EP is above average, because of the skill of the players and some occasional production goodness.It’s just a nose above the rest of the bands that didn’t quite have the same level of musicianship.Old CD copies came with a bonus track, “La Luna”, a beautiful classical guitar piece by Sarzo.There is some really clever backwards guitar mixed in with the forwards.It’s almost like next level Randy Rhoads.The entire band got credited for writing, which means the band had an agreement to split writing credits.This CD reissue has three bonus tracks, all from the next album Over the Edge.The first is a single version of “Over the Edge” itself.This hard rocker opens and closes with cool acoustic guitars, which caught my ear back in the day.I loved this tune.The production is still a bit wanting, but you can hear the talent shine through.Schellen’s got a great groove going, and Kelly was so underappreciated as a singer back in the day.“I’m On To You” was another great single from that album.This is just an edit version.This “super stormin’ hook edit” opens straight away with the chorus, which may or may not be to your taste.“Na na na na na na, I’m on to you!” croons Kelly Hansen.You’ll love it or hate it.Finally, the CD ends with “Baby Snakes” (not a Zappa cover)…and finally it’s an instrumental version, without the phone call stuff! That part of the song was amusing for a few minutes, but hindered re-plays.This instrumental version remedies that!Hurricane could have gone further than they did.Unfortunately for them, Robert Sarzo departed after Over the Edge, replaced by a guy named Doug Aldridge that you might know from some other bands.They started using outside writers, and that’s rarely a good sign.They have since reunited, but never with this original lineup again.An album and an EP was all we got. At least they were both decent.
Line-Up:
Kelly Hansen - vocals - see also: Foreigner
Robert Sarzo - guitar - see also: Diane & the Deductibles
Tony Cavazo - bass - see also: ex-London, ex-Quiet Riot, ex-Dangerface, ex-Speed of Light, ex-Walt Whitman & the New Monsters, ex-Snow
Jay Schellen – drums - see also: ex-Unruly Child, ex-Air Pavilion, ex-Arc of Life, Yes
Production:
Licensed From – Enigma Records
Pressed By – CSR
Directed By – Gary Ballen
Executive-Producer – Bob Ezrin
Liner Notes – 落合 隆*
Liner Notes [対訳] – Marie Nishimori
Management [Ballen Entertainment] – Gary Ballen
Photography By – Tom Farrington, William Hames
Producer – Hurricane (9), Kevin Beamish, Mike Clink (tracks: 1, 8, 9)
Tracklist:
01. Livin' Over The Edge (single version) (04:42)
02. Take Me In Your Arms (04:12)
03. The Girls Are Out Tonight (03:33)
04. Take What You Want (03:38)
05. Hurricane (03:46)
06. It's Only Heaven (06:48)
07. Hot And Heavy (03:51)
08. I'm On To You (03:25) (Bonus Track)
09. Baby Snakes (instrumental) (03:45) (Bonus Track)
+ Video "I'm On To You" (Official Video)
+ Video "Hurricane" (Official Video)
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