Devil City Angels: Devil City Angels

Not particularly devilish hard-rock supergroup.

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Another month, another supergroup. Featuring Tracii Guns (LA Guns), Rikki Rockett (Poison), Eric Brittingham (Cinderella) – now replaced by Rudy Sarzo – and the youthful (less super) vocalist Brandon Gibbs (Cheap Thrill), DCA are less sleazy and more bluesy than expected.

Peaking early with the swift one-two of All My People and Boneyard, DCA’s strengths lie in delivering their grooves with a vintage Aerosmith-esque humping swagger, which is no bad thing.

For more cocksure strutting, look no further than I’m Living, featuring just a hint of a Mr Brownstone-like shuffling guitar lick, the heavy glam stomp of Back To The Drive and punchy closer Bad Decisions.

All of which is fine except that Goodbye Forever and All I Need sound exactly as their titles suggest and contribute to a mid-album dip. Characterless, lightweight slowies do no one any favours when a band sound more convincing rocking out.

Classic Rock 215: New Albums A-G

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Essi Berelian

Whether it’s magazines, books or online, Essi has been writing about rock ’n’ metal for around thirty years. He has been reviews editor for Classic Rock and Metal Hammer, rock reviews editor for lads mag Front and worked for Kerrang!. He has also written the Rough Guide to Heavy Metal and contributed to the Rough Guide to Rock and Rough Guide Book of Playlists, and the Guinness Book of British Hit Singles (13th edition). Most fun interview? Tenacious D – Jack Black and Kyle Gass – for The Pick of Destiny movie book. An avid record/CD/tape collector, he’s amassed more music than he could ever possibly listen to, which annoys his wife no end.