WARRANT – Rockaholic

Anybody who is a fan of Metal knows Warrant. They are famous for their multi-platinum albums Dirty Rotten Filthy Stinking Rich and Cherry Pie from the heart of the Glam Metal era. For their new album, Rockaholic, Warrant is out to prove to the world they aren’t just another novelty act from the 80’s trying to make a comeback.

The most obvious change with Warrant is they are without their signature vocalist Jani Lane. New singer Robert Mason, a relative unknown and one time vocalist of Lynch Mob, has now taken reign as Warrant’s frontman. However, the life blood of Warrant is still intact; the original members of Joey Allen (lead guitar), Erik Turner (rhythm guitar), Jerry Dixon (bass), and Steven Sweet (drums) are all present and accounted.

Robert Mason is nothing short of outstanding on Rockaholic. His high-pitched vocal style is a perfect fit for this band. He has given Warrant a very welcoming and new signature sound. He sings with a straining and scratchy vocal style that is reminiscent of the late Ray Gillen, Jackyl’s Jesse James Dupree, or even Tora Tora’s Anthony Corder. His dynamic range is best exemplified during the track “The Last Straw”, which intensifies between the verse, bridge, and chorus. Mason does a great job of making the anger-filled lyrics seem very believable.

Materially, Warrant basically uses the same model for Rockaholic that made them famous; heavy, Melodic Rock anthems and sentimental ballads about sex, drugs, and Rock n’ Roll. One of the things many aging Glam Metal acts will do is write introspective songs about the “good ‘ol days”. Warrant really doesn’t go down that path, considering the title of the first track is “Sex Ain’t Love”, Warrant shows they haven’t missed a beat in the past 20 years. The only song that gives any indication of their storied past is the track “Life’s A Song”, which is an inspiring melody about appreciating life and all the blessings that come with it.

There is a very good mix of rockers and ballads on the 14 track album. Don’t expect to find a memorable classic anthem like “I Saw Red”, however, the quality of the music on this album compared to their classic albums is unparalleled. Rockaholic is far superior on all levels. The band has certainly grown and matured significantly, and there is clearly a lot of heart and passion evident on each and every track. Rockaholic is a fitting title for this album, as it is very addicting.