Narita - Riot

This is the second album released by New York's own Riot. I like the "oddness" of this cover. Now, to be 100% honest, I haven't to my knowledge, heard any song off this album before. I also never heard any songs prior to this album request, but it was requested back in May 2013 about the same times Never Turn Your Back On A Friend, Hatebreeder and also Death•Is•This•Communion• were also requested. The thing is I couldn't get my hands on a copy of this album, but it was recently added to Spotify. Since May 2013 I heard all the studio albums from Rock City to my favorite Thundersteel (all in about a days sitting actually) the last one of those 6 was this album, which I had not heard until about, well to be honest, the day of this review. With the knowledge of the other albums, minus Thundersteel (which will most definitely get a review of it's own) I'm not too excited for this album. :(

1. Waiting For The Talking: Oh no!!!!! Okay, off the bat this sounds very 80's kinda but not in a good way. I mean the bass isn't half bad, and the solos nice. And it does get a bit more gritty, or hard rockish, as the song progresses. But the solo isn't even anything to like be amazed by, I mean I am not an amazing soloist, but again I've heard solos that are way more interesting than that. This actually reminds me of a lesser Styx rocker.
2. 49er: This song reminds me a bit of a Sabbath riff, with the guitar tone. But it feels a bit more upbeat and happy. Which is kind of giving me conflicting feelings. Like I kinda wanna listen to Children of the Grave because I know I'll be satisfied, but this...... I don't know. This isn't that bad of a song. I think it's probably one of the best songs by the group I've heard. But I don't really even know if I'll remember it by the end is the thing.
3. Kick Down the Wall: I think the vocalist reminds me of if Fates Warning was in a glam metal band. That's what this song reminds me of, and the songs weren't as explosive or exciting to me. I mean there is a nice groove to this, that reminds me of like any 80's band (or UFO but not as good), but I don't know if that's good per-say. And the solos sounds an awful lot like UFO a bit. This isn't that bad, but it's whatever.
4. Born to Be Wild: Based on the title I can assume it's a Steppenwolf cover. Ewwww, I mean it's a Born to Be Wild Cover done in the style of arena rock. I feel like at parts they might have been trying to do a Highway Star thing where it's HUGE and a POWERHOUSE, but they don't really succeed. Skip
5. Narita: This is the title track, and there are some expectations I guess. I do like this, but I feel like it's just sped up. Like certain things don't sound like they were played at the speed they were (?). It also vaguely reminds me of Translyvania, a favorite Maiden tune of mine. It's a nice instrumental though, though it over stays it's welcome a bit. I'd honestly have shaved a good minute off the tune. Maybe at about 2:45, before they start that lead hook or riff, they could have taken  that transition part and had an Yngwie shred to wrap it up followed by a stop. Sadly the rest, thought my favorite part is the hook/riff, is kinda just filler. There is no real need for it. They also could have edited it so we get the ending that is like the one at 3:45ish. Do you get what I'm saying. That last 30 seconds or so, especially since it just fades out, is kinda bullshit. If it were to segue into the next track, like say Sick as a Dog into Nobody's Fault props to them, that was cool and a sick idea. But they fade out... it was pointless.
6. Here We Come Again: That last track was, besides my few gripes, a solid track. Then we get this bullshit. So I know they are capable of doing interesting things, even at this point in their career...... Why like put this out. This is pretty easy to listen to though, it doesn't cause tumors or anything.
7. Do It Up:  This reminds me of UFO but not as good soloing. There is also another song that it reminds me of but I can't quite put my finger on it. It's something from around this period in time 1970's or 1980's.
8. Hot For Love: Unrelated but this song looks like it was inspired by two different UFO tracks Too Hot to Handle and Love to Love both of 1977's Lights Out. I have to laugh, it opens with arpeggiations and the song while different, kinda reminds me a bit of Love to Love and Too Hot To Handle. Also a major problem with 90 percent of the songs, they sound very similar. And basically are. The ending kinda reminded me of Judas Priest a bit. Like the 70's pre-Hell Bent For Leather. Maybe a song like Exciter.
9. White Rock: This is okay, but again nothing too exciting. Just okay I guess. The only thing I might remember is the title reminds me of White Light/White Heat's title track.
10. Road Racin': Ah, a classic Judas Priest riff. Back before they were famous. Wait, is that Al Atkins. It's can't be, I heard some songs off that tribute record he did and I don't remember him sounding like this. Maybe his voice changed. Who knows.

Overall I have to give this a 5/10. The thing that was the killer for the other albums was that there were kinda bland and unmemorable hard rock to me. There may have been, out of the other four records, like 3 songs I liked (outside of Thundersteel). Now while some of my favorites may not have a huge variety, Aerosmith, Scorpions, among others there was a point in time where they peaked creatively and made each album sound different enough, the 70's. This album is from the 70's and all I can say is........... I hate to say this, but this is another unmemorable record. I'm not being an ass, I've heard stuff like this before but done much better. Like to where I remember the solos and singing and the vibe and wanna return, and not just for a review. Really though, I got a Styx or Fates Warning or UFO mixed with other bands feeling from this album.  I can do that all day bru. It isn't terrible, it's just not something that I was hoping for.