ROCKZONE.COM: CD Reviews: Electric Frankenstein

Electric Frankenstein
Annie's Grave
by Samuel Barker
March 1, 2001

File Under: Hard Rock

rating: B

tracks


1. Already Dead 

2. Get Off

3. Just Can't Kick

4. Hate Machine

5. Third Generation Nation

6. Graveyard Dragrace

7. Takin' You Down

8. Fistful Of Rock

9. Annie's Grave

10. My Father's Son

11. Backs Against The Wall

12. The Perfect Crime

related links

Victory Records

Old school hard rock is alive and well with Electric Frankenstein. Long time veterans of the independent music scene, Electric Frankenstein comes forth with Annie's Grave. This new release finds Electric Frankenstein with Victory Records again, and don't expect them to take the same fall down Earth Crisis did with their initial return release. Annie's Grave is 11 tracks of in your face rock that will have you air guitaring in no time. There is also a live track, which is new. This is a nice touch because it's the first and only time you hear the track. It's not from an old album, it's not on that was on the album at the beginning. It's a brand spankin' new track that they decided to put on here live. This album is full energy and a lot of fun. Hard rock will never die, and if it does, it will surely be reanimated by bands such as Electric Frankenstein.

The album opens with the dead on, driving guitars of "Already Dead". This track is the first of many straight ahead rockers this band serves up for you. The rhythm is strong, and the lead is tight. Throughout the album you can hear how strong the rhythm guitar is, it's very similar to AC/DC in the fact that the rhythm never over does it, and stays hard, heavy, and catchy. "Get Off" follows up with another kick in the ass song. This album totally keeps you into what's going on. Hate Machine is the most bad ass track on the album. The vocals are dead on, and the rhythm playing is so rocking. There are very few rhythm guitarists who grab you more than the lead and one of those guitarists is Sal Canzonieri.

Lyrically a lot of the songs are like a hard rock Groovie Ghoulies, which follows the name, Electric Frankenstein.

One of my favorite touches was a cover of the Dead Boys' "Third Generation Nation". It was right on. On the title track, Annie's Grave, the lead guitarist really shines through and keeps the rock on track. The final track on the album was "The Perfect Crime" which was recorded live. This track illustrated how tight the music was live and how this band doesn't stray too far from it's straight up hard rock.

This album just became available through Victory Records and it's a keeper. The guitar work is hard and fun, and the vocals add to the touch of pure hard rock. I personally loved this album and have listened to it many times since making my initial notes on the album. I have full faith you will enjoy it too.

Samuel Barker is Senior Editor. Contact him at suma@rockzone.com.

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