Riot V's 'Mean Streets' - Album Review

I have recently written about albums by both Vanden Plas and Unleash the Archers, bands which regular readers of this blog may have been surprised to learn had not been covered here before, and I think that it is fair to say that another glaring omission over the years has been the New York-based heavy metal legends Riot. Given how long the band have been going and how important they are considered to be in the context of the American metal scene, particularly the US power metal sound, it took me an awful long time to actually give them a go. I think I first checked them out properly in 2019 after picking up their classic 1988 release Thundersteel having likely heard some discussion about the band on the Sea of Tranquility YouTube channel. I have been turned on to a number of bands through Pete Pardo and his various collaborators' discussions, and Riot was certainly one I should have listened to before I did - although I think that I had previously heard the live version of Road Racin' which was featured on the 1980 compilation album to commemorate the inaugural Monsters of Rock festival prior to my first listen to Thundersteel. I soon picked up 1981's Fire Down Under and the band's last album, 2018's Armor of Light, and started to immerse myself in the band more - and I think it is fair to say that I am quite a big Riot fan these days. I still do not own all of their albums, as they have released quite a few, but I own most of the big ones and a few of the lesser known ones - and have enjoyed all of them to a greater or lesser extent. Crucially, too, I have spent quite a bit of time with their last couple of albums: 2014's Unleash the Fire and the aforementioned Armor of Light; the two albums released by the band since re-branding themselves as Riot V in 2013 to acknowledge that they were entering a new era without any founding members following the death of guitarist Mark Reale in 2012. Given the negative reaction the metal world generally affords to bands continuing on with questionable line-ups, Riot V continuing on Reale's legacy has largely been supported. Perhaps the simple addition of 'V' to the band's name, to highlight that current frontman Todd Michael Hall is the band's fifth singer, showed enough respect to Reale that Riot was no longer the same to bring everyone along with them - but I also think that the quality of both Unleash the Fire and Armor of Light likely helped, too. Riot V certainly carry on the power metal sound the band established on Thundersteel, which is not a surprise given that bassist Don Van Stavern co-wrote a lot of that album, but rarely hark back to the bluesier, more hard rock sound of the band's early years. The sound of Riot V is very much one of up-tempo metal, then, with Hall delivering plenty of high screams on the past two albums - and he continues this on Mean Streets, the third studio album under the Riot V name and the band's seventeenth overall. The same line-up which has been in place since Riot V was launched with Unleash the Fire remains, too, with Hall and Van Stavern joined by guitarist Mike Flyntz, a mainstay in the band since 1989, drummer Frank Gilchriest, who shared some time in the band with Reale during the mid-2000s, and relative newcomer Nick Lee on guitar. Those who have been following the Riot V story will not be surprised by Mean Streets' razor sharp, yet melodic, classic US metal sound - and this latest release is packed full of hooky anthems and plenty of memorable riffs.

There's nothing pretentious or especially different about this album compared to what came before, but the songs are strong and the production is hefty. Things get underway with Hail to the Warriors, an anthemic piece which essentially sets the tone for everything else which follows. The opening guitar melodies are a bit more atmospheric, though, to set the scene - but this vibe is short-lived and soon the first of the album's many riffs kicks in and Gilchriest uses his double bass drums to drive the piece whilst also using some staccato snare/tom stabs to create something of a groove. Once the song gets going proper, then, it never really lets up. Hall demonstrates why he is the man to carry to the torch for Riot V during the verses, which see him sing in a slightly high-pitched manner. He channels former vocalist Tony Moore quite often throughout this album and the power metal of this opening cut is the perfect setting for his vocal talents. Songwriter Van Stavern's bass is pretty high in the mix, especially during the chugging verses, before a smoother sound takes over for the faster chorus which features plenty of double bass drumming and some big screams from Hall. Many of the choruses here are pretty memorable and this one gets the album off to a great start on that front - before a lengthy, shredded solo section keeps the pace up. Feel the Fire slows the pace somewhat and goes for a crunchier, groovier approach. A staccato riff and a slightly off-kilter drum groove back a hooky guitar lead - before the bass again dominates during the verses. The guitars, bass, and drums all seem to be playing a slightly different rhythm, but the result of the three instruments mixing sounds great - and Hall sings over the top of this mix of grooves in his usual strident manner. Whilst the band tend to channel their power metal past, this is one song that does somewhat reflect the band's early few albums. There is more of a classic rocks strut to the guitar riffing and overall vibe, which lacks the polished 1980s sound of much of the rest of the album. Hall's higher-pitched delivery ensures continuity, though, and his chorus delivery is very anthemic - even if the chorus itself is a bit more meat and potatoes overall than some of the others here. This is a song which gets by on its grooves, then, but it still remains memorable. Love Beyond the Grave is a somewhat moodier piece overall, but there is still plenty of heft thanks to a main riff which sounds like it could have easily sat on a Black Sabbath album during the Tony Martin era. It is not as furious as some of the tracks here, but the mid-paced groove feels more involved than the stomp of the previous track - with a strong guitar lead setting the tone early on and a hooky chorus which features some subtle gang vocals and a drum sound that really punches out of the speakers. The guitar solo is a bit more controlled and less shreddy than normal, too, with the track being an exercise in precise songwriting and a bigger overall sound.

High Noon then returns to the break-neck pace of the album's opening cut - and it is one of the songs which really stood out to me from the off. This is the sort of song I generally imagine this line-up writing and it speeds off right from the beginning with some busy drumming and a slightly thrashy riff which retains the band's core sound thanks to a slightly smoother overall production and Hall's power metal vocal performance. The pace never lets up at all here and the song is easily one of the album's most intense pieces. I can already see the track becoming a live favourite going forward - and this is due to the pace and just how hooky it is overall. The verses are machine gun-paced, but the slightly more reined-in pre-chorus allows for a big vocal hook which sets up the faster chorus nicely - which has plenty of vocal harmonies to really help Hall's voice to soar. The chorus is one of the best here and it is extremely easy on the ear despite the song's overall heaviness. Crowds will certainly enjoy singing along to it - and I also really like the lengthy guitar solo section which sees Flyntz and Lee trading off licks and leads. Before This Time is also pretty fast, although it is not as frantic as the previous song - with a slightly crunchier sound overall thanks to some ringing power chords and subtler riffing, as well as a great, heroic guitar lead which sets the tone early on. The opening guitar lead feels a bit more rooted in classic rock, with some Michael Schenker-esque melodies on show, but the song overall is still very power metal in tone - thanks to Gilchriest's busy drumming and the overall intense feeling of the production. It is unclear who produced the album, although Bruno Ravel (Danger Danger; Westworld) mixed it, but the production is great throughout. There is a lot going on in the mix guitar and bass-wise, but everything is nice and clear. Van Stavern's bass is always audible and this song is another which showcases him somewhat - with his busy riffing filling in the gaps between the ringing chords and the Schenker-esque leads. Another chorus sees Hall shine, too, with the track being another strong effort. Higher feels a bit more epic and heavy overall, with a slow-burning opening guitar lead sitting against a bit of a murkier backdrop with some slower, weightier drumming setting the tone - although the pace gradually speeds up before some dual guitar leads kick in and the power metal returns. The arrangement is a bit more dynamic than some of the other songs here, then, but in truth there is not too much of a difference once the song gets going proper - and the song is another furious metal anthem with some excellent interlocking guitar leads and plenty of vocal harmonies during the chorus. These harmonies and leads do perhaps make the song sound bigger than some of the others, though, and the pace and the precise nature of the guitar playing really helps the track to sound pretty exciting overall.

The album's title track follows and it slows down the pace somewhat to establish an Iron Maiden-esque gallop. The twin leads from the previous song do not return, though, to stop the song from sounding like proper Iron Maiden worship - but the crunch of the rhythm guitars and the presence of Van Stavern's bass in the mix certainly bring the British band to mind at times. Elsewhere, though, the song is pretty much a classic-sounding modern Riot V track. Many of the tropes which have been heard on the album up to this point are present again, but the slightly slower pace does allow the grooves a little more time to breathe - with Hall's voice just generally more present this time. He sounds great during the real barnburners, but perhaps he really excels during the more mid-paced numbers due to the space within the mix he is afforded. This is very much evident during the song's chorus, which features some more vocal harmonies to give him a boost - with his higher-pitched delivery really roaring out of the speakers in the powerful manner. Open Road opens with a big drum barrage before a crunching rhythm takes over - over which a really hooky guitar lead sits. This song slows the pace further compared to the previous track and feels like a true mid-paced effort - with a strong classic rock vibe thanks to Van Stavern's punchy bass and the slower riffing which is less frantic and more 'open' sounding. There is still plenty of weight, though, with Gilchriest's drumming employing plenty of double bass tricks to retain a metallic approach, and the guitar tones throughout are still pretty sharp-sounding despite the roominess of the riffing generally. A slightly progressive-sounding bridge section later contains some off-kilter riffing before a somewhat neo-classical solo section - whilst another big chorus is full of character thanks to Hall's strident vocal hooks. Mortal Eyes picks the pace up again and goes for much more of a power metal sound - albeit with a fat bass tone and a rollocking feel to some of the riffs which feels more rooted in the 1970s than the 1980s. The intensity of the drumming and much of the snappy guitar rhythms are very much based in the band's classic power metal sound, though, but there are occasional moments which seem to hark back to the band's first few albums a bit more than is typical. The chorus is a bit less involved than usual, with simpler hooks that recall those early days - despite Hall's love for plenty of sharp harmonies and a higher-pitched tone. A few whammy bar tricks within the solo section are very much based in the 1980s, though, as the song switches back and forth between vibes quite regularly. This mix of sounds works well, though, and it is nice to see the band sometimes still harking back to their early days - even if Thundersteel is very much the seam they wish to mine these days and the sound which best-suits the re-branded Riot V.

Lost Dreams is very much a power metal piece, though, with plenty of big guitar leads setting the tone from the off. There is a lot of strong guitar playing throughout the album, but this track feels a bit more involved than some of the others. The main riff is a real barrelling effort which features lots of knotty interplay between Flyntz and Lee and the crunch behind the verses feels a little more expansive than is typical. Perhaps the standout part of the song guitar-wise, though, is a pre-chorus section which slows the pace somewhat and channels Schenker's style again for a few tasty note runs which act as a contrast to Hall's pre-chorus vocal lines. Each iteration changes the notes slightly for an escalating sound which works really well - and the guitar solo later also includes a section which seems to pay tribute to this pre-chorus with some controlled similar runs within a more shredded effort. Vocally the song is not as memorable as some of the others here in my opinion, but the guitar playing makes it stand out as there are lots of memorable riffs and passages which showcase the talents of the band's two guitarists. Lead into It slows the pace somewhat and goes for more of a mid-paced sound which features some of the album's most clattering drumming overall. Whilst much of the song is based around some pretty typical drum grooves, there are moments where Gilchriest, Ian Paice style, goes a little rogue and essentially plays controlled fills behind the vocals. This approach is pretty different from the norm but it is done tastefully enough to make the drum barrage work. It helps that the song includes one of the album's best mid-paced choruses, too. Generally most of the standout choruses here for me are the faster ones, but the slower pace of his chorus seems to really give Hall's vocals a boost - and he sounds extremely anthemic as he delivers the simple, but hooky, melodies; further establishing his talents as a key member of the band's overall legacy now. The album then comes to a close with No More, a faster track which again goes for something of a slightly more dynamic approach overall. Whilst the track generally feels pretty speedy, especially during the double bass-propelled verses, the chorus does see the pace slowed somewhat to allow for a more anthemic sound. The difference is not exactly night and day but the subtle change does help the piece to stand out - and it feels fitting for the album's closing song to feel a bit grander than some of the other cuts here. The chorus is another big standout moment for me and Hall perhaps sounds bigger than ever during some of the more drawn out notes which it includes. It is just an epic piece overall and one that ends the album on a true high. There really is nothing here that is weak, though, as Mean Streets overall is a very strong and memorable album from the band. The is no let up, either, with no ballads in sight - and the band seem to be firing on all cylinders throughout thanks to some tight songwriting and the excellent production. This album may be the current line-up's best yet - and it is certainly one that I imagine will satisfy a lot of fans thanks to its up-tempo and razor-sharp sound.

The album was released on 10th May 2024 via Atomic Fire Records. Below is the band's promotional lyric video for High Noon.