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Adrenaline Mob is the self-titled debut EP from this US group which includes among its members former Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy and Symphony X singer Russell Allen. Despite the major connections to those progressive metal acts the Adrenaline Mob sound is more firmly rooted in traditional heavy metal values. The five track EP features four original songs and a cover of Black Sabbath’s The Mob Rules to round it off.
While the music sits rooted in traditional heavy and/or hard rock values at its heart, there are also leanings towards groove metal within the guitar riffs. This is the sort of thing that is designed to make you bang your head rather than impress you with any sort of complexity, which is relatively absent in their sound and surprisingly so since both Portnoy and Allen were/are in two of the biggest names in progressive metal but I guess that’s a good thing in a way, since the sound breaks away from what fans of these guys have come to expect.
In comparison the other guys in the group are relatively unknown. In fact the only one of the three I have heard of before is guitarist Rich Ward (Fozzy, Stuck Mojo), though only through the fact that I’ve seen him live. It’s not surprising though really as despite the two big names Adrenaline Mob is not supergroup, and Mike Portnoy wasn’t actually one of the founders. They’re clearly a solid unit though, as this EP proves.
However although these are solid songs I just fail to be totally blown away by them. Russell Allen delivers a top notch classic heavy metal vocal, not unlike the late Ronnie James Dio, and the performance is skilled all round, but I just don’t hear anything that really sets Adrenaline Mob apart from other heavy metal acts. They’ll get attention due to the two big names involved here, but for me they’re going to have to up their game a bit and deliver something a bit more memorable. I dislike the tone of the lead guitars as well, although the playing itself is quite fitting to the songs, the production could use some tweaking.
While the first three tracks fit the same sort of template, fourth offering Down to the Floor spices up the EP a bit with a change in pace. It’s less groove and more hard rock with lyrically hooks to boot. Nice for a bit of variation, but it’s actually my least favourite track here. The best of the originals in my opinion is Believe Me. The Black Sabbath cover is however, perhaps unfortunately, the one that really got my head nodding.
But hey despite my complaints this is only an EP and their first release together besides, so I’m hoping that when they put out a full album they’ll be ready to blow us all away with some great classic heavy metal.
(Originally written for Heavy Metal Haven, scored at 7.2/10)