Gimme Shelter.
The name Ray Cappo may be a new name to this writer but his musical heritage goes back to the 1980s and even after his crossover to the beliefs of Krishna, there appears to be little stopping him. Shelter is his current musical outlet and their 'Eternal' album certainly bristles and busies itself in an upbeat manner.
Again, the issue of genres rears its ugly and ignorant head with the band (or some hapless fool at their management or press department) seems intent on labelling with the hardcore genre. This album is guitar pop. Pure and simple, if Sum 41 or similar came out with an album of 11 tracks which all had choruses and traditional song writing with the vocals reined in, it would be getting pushed at the public from all angles.
Perhaps Shelter are trying to remain a cool edge or perhaps Cappo's beliefs prevent him from trying to become a major commercial act but someone has dropped the ball with this record, its as much a US guitar pop record as anything else on the market and theres no reason if you like that sort of stuff, that this album wouldn't appeal to you.
A dark dirty guitar riff undercuts most of the tracks with 'Return To Eden' being the most obvious example of this but it does pervade the album somewhat. Over time, its likey the record will grow slightly stale but on initial listens the inventiveness and upbeat edge will keep a listener hooked for a while. The drums are happy to sit in the background occasionally letting loose and when they are set free, they usually do son in a n explosive manner. Sometimes a less is more attitude is required and this is what is achieved on 'Eternal.'
Unsurprisingly, the lyrical content meanders further than the standard boy meets girl puff that exists in so many bands output and the question of what life is about and what it entails are all up for grabs. You may not necessarily hold the same beliefs as Coppa but he has as much right to voice his opinions as anyone. The delivery varies from yelping high pitches to dark, rumbling growls but it never jars with the music on offer.
'Eternal' is quite a good album for its style, no matter what the marketers try and label it as. Although definitely an album for lover of US Guitar pop with a slightly darker edge to it, it may appeal across the board....if you only get the chance to hear it.