Review:

on 2011-05-08 Bertman Said:

Atomic Playground

2010 A Bomb Records



Alright, listen up you headbangers, metalheads, or whatever the hell your calling yourselves this week; Atomic Playground is the real deal. They are old school, 80's style heavy metal in the very best possible sense of the genre. This band sounds like all of the best songs on the first two Dokken albums, that weren't singles.

Dokken screwed up when they tried to cash in on the power ballad craze they started, by making each and every other song an attempt to re-write Alone Again. Atomic Playground forgoes any attempt to play anything remotely slow or ballad-y.

There's a taut and unwavering bass line, guitar leads as fine and sharp as broken glass; an animated and skilled drummer, and would you believe, a singer who knows how to sing. No annoying cookie monster, gorilla vocal at work here. All the redundant blockheaded new metal acts could and should take note here.

Atomic Playground hit the ground running with the eponymous track, followed by a pump your fist worthy "Ghostdance." The guitar leads provided by Jerre Hill are sublime, powerful and ever present. Other stand out tracks are "Touched by an Anvil", and "Alienated."

This variety of metal is now as rare as hens teeth. Musicians who can play, a singer who can sing, and lyrics you can understand. There's no hiding behind heavy processing. There's a honest quality to what Atomic Playground is doing. All the more reason why it's worth listening to.



Rating: 7/10