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Renaissance Rock Orchestra
The Ice Age Cometh...
ROCK
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Review By: Dennis Jarman
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Album band personnel :-
Mark Robert Boals - Lead Vocals.
Bobby Lochner - Guitar.
Vinnie Appice - Drums.
Michael Gerbino - Bass Guitar.
Gregg Fox - Keyboards.
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My first review for Heads Up North Manchester looks a very challenging one to say the least, but will definitely be a very rewarding one. It's The Ice Age Cometh album (2023 remaster version) by symphonic rock super group, Renaissance Rock Orchestra, released by Escape Music. My first impression was looking at the band personnel, which is always changing, but a big deal for me is lead vocals from Mark Robert Boals, who played with Ted Nugent in the mid 80's.
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The band was formed in Las Vegas by Gregg Fox, who is also composer, keyboardist and owner.
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These stunning eleven tracks kick off the album from 'In My Lovin Arms'. An eerie, lengthy keyboard intro, precedes some magical, majestic AOR par excellence, that heralds the arrival of a stratospheric height reaching lead vocal. Prominent snare work gives it extra bite and air guitars are mandatory for a midway guitar salvo.
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The albums title track is all speaker rattling bombast, as an early highlight comes from a NWOBHM (New Wave Of British Heavy Metal) tinged main riff. It's a gritty, dirt under the fingernails rocker that takes a midway breather for a soulful piece, holding some lung busting long notes, towards a pummelling outro.
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'Here We Are Again', is an immediate attention grabber from a drum driven opening salvo, making for a boisterous battery around a siren strength lead vocal.
'Secrets In The Sand' has Egyptian tinged vibes that give it a majestic feel throughout this seven minute power ballad.
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'Circus Life' is a curious number of hefty bass grooves that bounce off inventive drum patterns, a histrionic lead vocal and jovial keyboards.
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'My Lonely Heart' is another dose of soaring symphonics, marching on a steady, snare driven pace, making its presence known by riffs that chug around helium powered choruses.
'The Universal Dance' unbelievably pitches the vocals higher for breath-taking balladry that ambles along, taking its time to lap up the well deserved plaudits!
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'J.S.Rock' is a mental instrumental that gives the band a chance to flex their muscles for dizzying tempo changes that had me immediately putting it on repeat play.
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'A Song Of Hope', pompous? yes. Over the top? yes. It's a lengthy workout that takes no prisoners, eagerly delivering its message with regal elegance.
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'The Author Of Mystery' lives up to its title, as mysterious time changes kept me enthralled from the first, until the last, especially the fretboard burning, shredding outro.
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Final track 'Long Live Rock And Roll', I thought was going to be a cover of the Rainbow classic but it seems to tell of the Renaissance Rock Orchestra's dedication to what they do, throwing every cliché in the book, ending on a bang, not a whimper!
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