Randy Piper’s Animal – Violent New Breed

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Deaf & Dumb Records
Produced by Chris Laney

The second album from the original W.A.S.P. guitarist’s new band features a brand new line-up which seems to have revitalised Piper’s guitar playing to a level beyond even his halcyon days with Lawless and co.

New vocalist Rich Lewis at times sounds uncannily like W.A.S.P. main-man Blackie Lawless, and this makes comparisons to Piper’s former employers very obvious. Fortunately for Piper and Animal, the comparisons are very favourable. Sounding similar to W.A.S.P. might kind of be the point. Perhaps they’re suggesting that this is the kind of album W.A.S.P. should still be making, instead of the two-part concept album they made in 2004.

Truth be told, Violent New Breed is better than anything W.A.S.P. have done since Headless Children in 1989. They’ve made some good albums since, both Neon God albums, Unholy Terror, Dying For The World and The Crimson Idol are all good albums. And as unpopular as it often is, even K.F.D. was a strong album. But Animal have bettered all of them with this one.

It’s not a groundbreaking album. It’s not pushing any boundaries or charting any undiscovered areas, but it is the most solid collection of great riffs, songs and melodies you could hope to find. Piper and Lewis are joined by Swedish multi-instrumentalist and producer Chris Laney of Zan Clan, who initially offered to remix the first Animal album for free because he was such a big fan, and ultimately joined the band on guitar to co-write the bulk of the material for the new album with Piper. Bassist Jackie Livengood completes the permanent line-up, with a small collection of session drummers. Everybody, including the list of drummers, play their parts to perfectly.

While the sound is certainly as raw as early W.A.S.P., the subject matter isn’t. Animal aren’t preoccupied with writing songs about blood and guts as in Randy’s younger days. There’s even a bit of a power ballad (Turn And Walk Away). And it’s a good one. The rest of the album is pure metal with plenty of melody and hooks. Morning After in particular, with its killer chorus, is already a firm favourite with Hammerfall singer Joacim Cans, a band with a heavy focus on catchy choruses.

There are no stand out tracks. Every one is a winner. The opening title track is well chosen with its hard hitting main riff, but equally strong songs in Eye of The Storm, the crushing Hey You and Salt fill the rest of the disc. Rabble-rousing closer B.O.O.M. may contain passing references to Mr. Lawless. Maybe.

This is probably the single most essential straight heavy metal CD of the year so far, with no competitors on the horizon either. It’s the kind of collection of songs we don’t see so often anymore, with everyone constantly trying to do something a little cleverer than just write good songs.

“ solid collection of great riffs, songs and melodies ”

Tracklist: Violent New Breed / Morning After / Hey You / Eye of The Storm / Turn And Walk Away / Animal In Me / Hellchild / Salt / In The Mirror / B.O.O.M.

Written by Andy Lye
More: Albums, Heavy Metal, Randy Piper's Animal