In this post another batch of reviews for you:
- the first one can be found on Dutch site RockPortaal. They have lots of praise for the Cranston – II album.
- Franch site Metal Integral go a step further with a blistering 17/20 rating for Cranston!
- Uk site The Rocker is critial on part of the D’Ercole album Made To Burn. But loves the other part: here the words:
Another record featuring insomniac Phil Vincent on vocals. Well he must be with the number of records he appears on. This one is the fifth album under the D’Ercole banner with guitarist Damian D’Ercole of that ilk.
Like everything that Mr Vincent does this is firmly in the world of eighties melodic rock. Now he’s a good singer and he’s written some good songs here. However, it’s the slower, more mellow tracks that come off best with ‘Out Of Time’ and ‘Open Your Eyes’ coming straight from the world of bands like Shooting Star. However things dip when they try to rock it up a bit.
That seems to be a production problem bearing in mind how well the aforementioned songs have come out but numbers like ‘Feel The Burn’ end up sounding like demo tracks rather than the finished article. So the mid-section of the album is a struggle for me but then and out and out AOR delight like ‘Only A Feeling’ comes along and all is forgiven. There are a few special guests along for the ride with Paul Sabu and Vince O’Regan among them. It’s half a good album but that half will be a treat for fans of eighties styled melodic rock.
- and last but not least a German one from Musik Reviews. This often very critical site offer a 12/15 rating for Cranston and say it is “Above average good, ultra-conservative and therefore surprise-free AOR or melodic rock of two absolute professionals in this field”.