Tag: Randy Piper
3 Randy Piper’s Animal – Virus (Release Year – 2008)
Randy Piper’s Animal is back with their follow up disc, to 2006’s “Violent New Breed”. I really enjoyed their last disc, and still listen to it often. Needless to say, I have been looking forward to hearing the new CD “Virus”.
Pretty much from the first notes of “Cardiac Arrest” I knew that I was going to like this disc a lot. This high speed heavy rocker gets “Virus” firing on all cylinders immediately.
Much like “Violent New Breed”, singer Rich Lewis continues to sound like a Blackie Lawless clone, and this is a very good thing.
While some of the songs on “Virus” have a very W.A.S.P. like feel to them, there are also some surprising numbers that have a more modern feel.
The song “Don’t Wanna Die” could easily be a hit on modern rock radio in 2008. This song has a lot different feel from anything Randy Piper’s Animal has done before. If anything, this is a really cool effort by the band to stay relevant in today’s music scene.
“Crying Eagle” fools you with its slow intro. Without warning the song takes off with its cool machine gun rhythm. It flows naturally into “Unnatural High” which has an almost progressive Dream Theater sound to it.
Remember The Cranberries song “Zombie”? Randy Piper’s Animal covers it here, and quite frankly I like this metalized version of the song much better.
If there is anything negative about this CD, it would be the total play time, which falls short of 39 minutes. It only leaves me wanting to hear more music by Randy Piper’s Animal. As a whole, I enjoyed this CD quite a bit, so much in fact that I wouldn’t be surprised to see it make my Top 10 hard rock/metal CD’s of 2008.
Randy Piper plays his ass off on this disc, and as a result this disc shines. Rich Lewis sounds even better than on ‘Virus” than he did on “Violent New Breed”. Chris Laney not only does a superb job as the second axeman for Randy Piper’s Animal, he also handled the production on this disc. If Laney ever decides to hang up his guitar, he the skill to make it as a producer. Virus has top quality sound and production!
If you have enjoyed any music by W.A.S.P. or Randy Piper’s Animal in the past, pick this up. You won’t be disappointed.
Highly Recommended Listening!
Rating:
Out of 10
Track Listing:
1. Cardiac Arrest
2. Can’t Stop
3. Don’t Wanna Die
4. Crying Eagle
5. Unnatural High
6. Judgement Day
7. Who’s Next
8. Zombie
9. Shoot To
10. L.U.S.T.
Randy Piper’s Animal is:
Rich Lewis – Vocals
Randy Piper – Guitars
Chris Laney – Guitars
Nalle “Grizzly” Pahlsson – Bass
Johan Koleberg – Drums
3 LOCOMOTIVE RECORDS TO UNLEASH INFECTIOUS VIRUS ON OCTOBER 21
New Album Virus From Randy Piper’s Animal Really Gets Under Your Skin
When Locomotive Records spreads the Virus from Randy Piper’s Animal on October 21, it will be a clear case of musical infection, with symptoms including repetitive spins, severe neck trauma (from the massive amounts of headbanging), and blown eardrums, from blasting this one to eleven!
According to guitarist Randy Piper (ex-W.A.S.P), Virus, produced by guitarist Chris Laney, will “smoke your ass.” Recorded at Platform Studio and the legendary Polar Music Studios (where such acts as Led Zeppelin, ABBA and Genesis made some of their greatest albums), it is both more aggressive and more melodic than the debut. Lyrically, its real-life issues will keep the listener enthralled with thought-provoking conundrums of daily life. Several songs, in fact, deal with being unable to change a lifestyle that you know will kill you in the end, be it dangerous habits (“Can’t Stop” and “Unnatural High”) or working yourself to death (“Cardiac Arrest”). There’s also a cover of “Zombie” by The Cranberries.
This Animal was born in Scandinavia in 2007 as a Violent New Breed. It proved to be a rousing debut. By the time of its set at the prestigious Sweden Rocks Festival, Piper, Laney, vocalist Rich Lewis, bassist Nalle “Grizzly” Pahlsson and drummer Johan Koleberg had proved to over 100,000 that they’re the real deal.
Track Listing
1. Cardiac Arrest
2. Can’t Stop
3. Don’t Wanna Die
4. Crying Eagle
5. Unnatural High
6. Judgment Day
7. Who’s Next
8. Zombie
9. Shoot To Kill
10. L.U.S.T.
7 Randy Piper’s Animal – Violent New Breed (Release Year – 2006)
Former W.A.S.P. guitarist Randy Piper, and Zan Clan guitarist Chris Laney connects for a very W.A.S.P. like CD in Randy Piper’s Animal’s “Violent New Breed”.
Vocalist Rich Lewis could be a Blackie Lawless clone vocally.
Chris Laney also lent his producing talents, so this is one great sounding disc, from beginning to end.
The track “Violent New Breed” will grab you immediately. This is one kick-ass, hard rocking tune.
The heavy pace continues on “Morning After”. I can hear some Zan Clan like backup vocals on this one. This track is very cool!
“Hey You” cranks it up again. This song reminds me of a KISS song, both sonically and lyrically.
“Eye of the Storm” may be my favorite song on this disc. This is a well written song and the guitars are absolutely killer.
The tempo slows way down on “Turn and Walk Away”. This power ballad really delivers. Rich Lewis delivers an excellent vocal on this track, and Randy Piper’s guitar shines greatly. This song screams radio hit!
Lyrically, “Animal In Me” could have used a little more work. The music is good, but it is my least favorite track on this disc.
“Hellchild” sounds like a W.A.S.P. anthem. The keyboards on this track kind of give it that screechy horror type of feel, but are strangely annoying at the same time. The rest of the song is very good though, and would translate well live.
“Salt” is another excellent, heavy track with Zan Clan like backing vocals. This track sounds as if could have been at home in the late 80’s. It is very cool!
“In The Mirror” is a low to mid tempo number that seems to get better with each listen. The guitar work here is superb.
Just the title of “B.O.O.M.” seems to carry the W.A.S.P. spirit. The keyboards return in a minor fashion on this track, and I think they should have left them out. It would have sounded better. Aside from that, this is a cool hard driving track and it ends “Violent New Breed” in good fashion.
There is more to like on this disc than I expected. Chris Laney’s addition to this group takes it over the top. Many of these songs would translate well live. For W.A.S.P. fans, picking this disc up is a no-brainer. For all other Hard Rock, and metal fans, you ought to stop by the band’s myspace page (www.myspace.com/randypipersanimal) and give some of these tracks a listen. I think this is a great disc, and well worth the price of admission!
Rating: 
Out of 10
Track Listing:
- Violent New Breed
- Morning After
- Hey You
- Eye of the Storm
- Turn and Walk Away
- Animal in Me
- Hellchild
- Salt
- In The Mirror
- B.O.O.M
Randy Piper’s Animal is:
Randy Piper – Guitar
Rich Lewis – Vocals
Chris Laney – Guitar
Jackie Livengood – Bass
Johan Koleberg – Drums
