YoungBlood
No Retreat

December 2012
Released: 2012, Eonian Records
Rating: 3.5/5
Reviewer: JP

There is no justice in the world. These dudes should be multi-millionaire rock gods and if their album NO RETREAT had been released properly back in 1989/1990, when it was recorded, they would have been. Eonian Records, one of the labels for finding hidden gems and releasing them, has another hit on its hands.



NO RETREAT gets the usual deluxe package treatment from Eonian, with pictures, credits and some interesting song-by-song liner notes and crystal clear production. This isn’t just a demo reissue, it’s the real deal. I don’t know if it was touched up or not but it’s sounds great. It’s a good value too, 16 songs that run just under an hour.



This sextet of melodic Hard Rockers from Indianna is just killer. The first and most obvious weapon in their arsenal is the golden voice of Boby Sisk. He has a perfect blend of Sebastian Bach and Mark Slaughter. Range and power he has it all and not only that but he has an infectious delivery and sense of humour as well, making his vocals an obvious highlight of the album. Just check out the opening scream on ‘Pump It Up’! The lyrics are classic party lifestyle rock and roll, tales of bad boys and their adventures. The songs take the best elements of Van Halen, including the quirky humour of the last acoustic cut ‘I Love you’ which is reminiscent of ‘Ice Cream Man’.



The songs are arranged in a conventional style of verse, chorus, verse chorus, solo type of scenario with lots of hooks and memorable melodies. The songs buzz along, anthem-built and party-ready, but not too aggressive, nor over-flashy in terms of technical playing. The strength of the simple song works well and you’ll find yourself humming right along in no time. NO RETREAT is a wonderful album, chock full of tunes ready for your party on a Friday night or cruising in your car. It’s a shame is may be a one off, but I’m glad to have in my collection nonetheless.