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﷯ ﷯ UFO: Seven Deadly Legendary British hard rockers UFO are back with their 21st, yes 21st, studio release, titled Seven Deadly, and now fourth effort with Vinnie Moore on guitar. If you thought that their previous CD The Visitor was a tad too bluesy, fear not, for the most part the heavy rock has returned on Seven Deadly, and longtime fans will no doubt welcome that with open arms. The opening threesome of "Fight Night", "Wonderland", and "Mojo Town" are muscular rockers featuring the trademark vocal pipes of Phil Mogg (who sounds great as always) and Moore's thick riffs and nimble solos. There's a sense of heaviness to these songs that we haven't seen in a few albums, and as I mentioned earlier, it's a welcome return. "Angel Station" has a certain Led Zeppelin feel to it, though it is more of a ballad, and includes a blistering guitar solo from Vinnie. "Year of the Gun" is a gritty blues rocker with a catchy chorus and some nice organ from Paul Raymond, while "The Last Stone Rider" is another hard rocker with a blues feel, featuring some crunchy riffs sitting underneath another catchy chorus. "Steal Yourself" reminds of Paul Chapman era UFO from the early 80's mixed with some Bad Company, and is a great hard rock tune, and "The Fear" is a grinding heavy blues rocker with some nasty riffs from Moore, though I could have done without the harmonica. "Waving Goodbye" is a classic UFO ballad, complete with soaring melodies, sweeping organ, and a mix of acoustic & electric guitar riffs. Moore's solo on this one is tasty as all hell, and it's clear he's really settled into his role here. Easily an upgrade over The Visitor, UFO have returned to their hard rock roots on Seven Deadly, yet still retaining that bluesy edge they seem to have incorporated over the last few years. Vinnie Moore is sizzling throughout, Phil Mogg sounds better than ever, Andy Parker is still pounding his kit, and Paul Raymond adds his keyboard colors and occasional rhythm guitar. What more could any UFO fan want? Track Listing 1. Fight Night 4:35 2. Wonderland 5:08 3. Mojo Town 3:58 4. Angel Station 6:25 5. Year Of The Gun 4:07 6. The Last Stone Rider 3:54 7. Steal Yourself 4:46 8. Burn Your House Down 5:15 9. The Fear 3:31 10. Waving Good bye 5:24 11. Other Men's Wives 4:09 (bonus track) 12. Bag O` Blues 5:21 (bonus track) Added: January 4th 2012 Reviewer: Pete Pardo Score: 4* ﷯ ©2012 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ﷯ ﷯ Artist: UFO Review Type: Album Genre: Hard Rock ﷯ Rating: 4.5 / 5 - Excellent Reviewed by: Patrick Prince More or less, I’m a UFO purist. It’s pretty much the ’70s and early ’80s for me. I had never officially given Vinnie Moore a chance. Seven Deadly makes me regret that. It gave off a very strong first impression and lasted. In my opinion, this is the first UFO album where guitarist Vinnie Moore officially makes his mark. To this longtime fan, Moore is now part of the legacy. Yep, Vinnie Moore really shines on the new album Seven Deadly. Moore’s catchy heavy blues riffs and soulful solos combine nicely with the wonderful trademark voice of Phil Mogg, bringing the band into 2012 with such dramatic grand energy for a veteran outfit. Whereas most classic artists are going through the motions on each new album, UFO has proven that you can count on them for quality original material. Seven Deadly standout songs like “Fright Night,” “The Fear” and “Wonderland” will surely become classic UFO songs now, with Moore ringing in a new era with a distinctive touch. The album itself — with more play — might become a favorite. There are a few areas where the momentum slows down a bit but it’s almost a five star release. And in today’s music world, that says a lot. Seven Deadly is an exciting statement. This album strongly presents a new UFO era. A band that retains the same soul and is as healthy as ever. ﷯ ©2012 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ﷯ ﷯ Album Review: UFO – Seven Deadly [9.5 out of 10] Posted on January 3, 2012 By Andrew Bansal Over the past 42 years since their inception, British rock legends UFO have been one of the most prolific bands going around, with as many as 20 studio albums to their name. But despite having already provided us with such an abundance of classic, unforgettable music, they refuse to live on past glory and continue to release new material on a consistent basis. Their 21st studio album “Seven Deadly” is the next step in their musical journey, and not a bad one at all. “Fight Night” gives the album a pretty laid back, feel-good start. Phil Mogg sounds great right from the outset. He carries the song almost singlehandedly until the guitar solo kicks in, a signature Vinnie Moore solo which is very easy on the ears. After this promising start, the album goes into the next gear with “Wonderland”, a tune that’s more up-tempo, and will certainly catch on among fans quite quickly. Vinnie Moore once again shows his class through the guitar solo in this tune, and proves himself as a multi-dimensional musician. The next song “Mojo Town” slows things down, but is actually one of the richest pieces of music on the entire album in my opinion. Mogg and Moore are at their best, the rhythm section sounds delightfully heavy, and the slowness of the tune allows the listener to take it all in. While Mojo Town is slow, it’s still very much an upbeat tune. That’s not the case with the following track “Angel Station”, which is completely downbeat, and is more like a ballad. I wouldn’t say it’s my favorite song on the album, but nonetheless, it’s definitely a good variation from the rest of the album. “Year Of The Gun” is very much similar to “Fight Night” in terms of tempo, but unlike the opening tune it doesn’t have the cowbell sound in it, and thus has a conventional hard rock feel to it, a quality that will be well appreciated by fans I’m sure. The album continues on its undulating path with immensely enjoyable tunes like “The Last Stone Rider” and “Steal Yourself”, specially the latter as it’s slow enough to allow for Phil Mogg to hold his notes for longer, while also giving more room for Vinnie Moore’s guitar work. “Burn Your House Down” is a sad tune, an emotion that’s expressed brilliantly by the music on it. “The Fear”, in perfect contrast, is the heaviest song on the album, and the rhythm section is most prominent on this one. The final track “Waving Good Bye” musically sums up the album really well and gives it an apt ending, and it’s clear from Vinnie Moore’s work on this one that he saved his best for last. At this point, I would pick “Mojo Town”, “Year Of The Gun” and “Steal Yourself” as the best songs on the album, but this is one of those albums that you can play straight through. At 46 minutes, its length is just about perfect for this style of music, and as soon as the play button is hit on the opening song, it gets into a groove of its own and has a very smooth flow to it. For that reason, I think this will be a great album for the road, and the perfect soundtrack to a relaxed evening at home. This is as good as Phil Mogg has ever sounded, and at the age of 63, he shows an incredible range of vocals on this album. And as mentioned earlier, Vinnie Moore is fantastic on guitar. Andy Parker and Paul Raymond blend in with the vocals and lead guitar and provide us a solid rhythm section. On “Seven Deadly”, UFO have proved exactly why they are still going after all these years. The reason is simple. They still write great songs. I must mention though that I fail to understand how the album’s title is related to its songs, or to its cover artwork. Perhaps I’ll find out more about that if and when I get to interview someone from the band. But it doesn’t really matter too much, because the music is what counts above all else. This is classic hard rock at its purest, and should end up as another feather in the cap for UFO. A superlative effort from the perennial rockers. Rating: 9.5/10 US Release Date: February 28th 2012 Label: Steamhammer/SPV Track Listing: Fight Night Wonderland Mojo Town Angel Station Year Of The Gun The Last Stone Rider Steal Yourself Burn Your House Down The Fear Waving Good Bye ﷯ ©2012 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ﷯ ﷯ SPV/Steamhammer Review by Rick Ossian Save for sorting out the personnel, I’m sure this will be a labour of love. I say this having been a UFO fan since I was just a fraction of the man I am now, ever since I was in high school! My first taste was, as it was for most folks my age, the halcyon days of Michael Schenker-era fodder such as Lights Out, Obsession, and the monster double-live Strangers In the Night. This, the band’s twentieth release, finds the errant Pete Way nowhere in sight. But then, to be fair, he was diagnosed with a medical condition last year. Phil Mogg, vocalist, remains the lynchpin in this outfit, having been the only original member to be on board since the beginning. Granted, Andy Parker (drummer) and Paul Raymond (rhythm guitar, keys) have been key members since the early days. In fact, Parker was there in the beginning with Mogg. Raymond came on board later, featuring on the Schenker slabs and beyond. And, while he is no Michael Schenker (and to be fair, who is except Mike?), Vinnie Moore does himself right proud again here. Barry Sparks was the last bass player listed, and has been on board in one way or another since 2004. There may be some confusion here, as Peter Pichl was listed as bassist on 2009′s The Visitor, and Way was not credited on the album, nor was any bass player. Sparks worked with them on their 2011 tour. There are some really stand-out, punchy numbers here, and a couple of longer, more ballad-like pieces. Angel Station, for example, is an epic six-and-a-half minute tune featuring strings and a phase-shifted guitar-strumming introduction. This track is considerably mellower than the rest of the fare on offer here. I hate to say it, but the majority of the tracks are pretty much standard UFO stuff. Not that that is in any way a bad thing, especially if you’re a UFO fan! Wonderland, which, as near as I can figure, is about Mogg ‘wanting to be a monkey’, and/or ‘coming from a monkey’. Dodgy lyrics notwithstanding, there is a very slinky riff and a tasty solo from Vinnie! Mojo Town, on the other hand, is a bluesy stomper. Fans of the ‘old’ UFO will grow to love this one. Ditto The Last Stone Rider, which features a classic ‘hero mode’ UFO narrative and a rumbling rock riff underneath. Year of the Gun and Fight Night are more traditional UFO fare as well, both tight tunes, the former almost set to a Maiden-esque gallop. Year… also features another tasty solo from Vinnie about 3 minutes in. Steal Yourself also includes some stand-out guitar work. Vinnie’s leads just keep getting better and better. His tone even emulates Schenker’s here – long time fans, again, will most likely take notice. I’ve spoken of being transported back to the 70′s before. You, dear reader, will feel it as well. Trust me on this. Burn Your House Down is another clear example of Mogg’s vocals being intact throughout. He has a power that belies his age and undoubted misadventures! Check out the lines in the chorus (I will burn your house down/Sit right here and watch you drown) I would question the doo-woppy background vocals here, though. Maybe it’s just me, but they seem a bit out of place amongst an otherwise powerful number. Again, at the three-minute mark, Vinnie tears into another melodic, precise, searing solo – probably one of the better ones on the whole collection. Very tasty! The Fear is a thumping, harmonica-infused bluesy stomper. This is, in my opinion, probably one of the better numbers, but then I may be just another nostalgic old geezer who yearns for when this band harkens back to their old influences. This one takes me back to the Phenomenon LP, when producer Leo Lyons (of Ten Years After fame) suggested the old Howlin’ Wolf tune, Built For Comfort. Yes, it’s that bluesy! ‘A crooked house/a crooked bed/Mystical people/In my head’ indicates that Mogg is indeed feeling the fear. But ‘gimme a beer now’? Sometimes I wonder if Phil just ran out of lyrics… Waving Goodbye is a good closer, with another of Vinnie’s searing leads providing the intro. I’m not sure whether or not another mellow number to end the collection is a really good way to go, but then to be fair it does have a little bite to it. For some reason the female singing with Mogg here seems out of place. She is on another track earlier in the fray also. It just seems that a more powerful closer would have sealed the deal, so to speak. Vinnie’s intro solo is repeated, with a little added zeal, about half way in. I’m really starting to enjoy this man’s work, and as I mentioned before, his licks just keep getting tastier! Rating: **** ﷯ ©2012 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ﷯ ﷯ UFO – SEVEN DEADLY Posted by virtuosityone on December 23, 2011 Released 27 February 2012 on SPV The arrival of Vinnie Moore seems to have given UFO a new lease on life. Albums have been solid, tours have not been cancelled… Last album “The Visitor” was a bluesy, rather tranquil affair. Was it a portent of things to come? Opening track “Fight Night” kicks off in typical UFO fashion. Think Chapman era UFO rather than Schenker though. There’s even several nods to Chapman in Vinnie’s guitar solo. Not to mention the fact his tone has changed. There’s more snap and attack, rather than the fusiony smooth sustain he used so far. “Wonderland” continues in the same style, while “MoJo Town” ups the heavy even more. “Angel Station” is a power ballad with plenty of power. “Year OF The Gun” wouldn’t have been out of place on “Wild Willing And Innocent”. With again those little Chapman-isms thrown in… Vinnie goes all out in “The Last Stone Rider”. He must have made a hobby out of copping former UFO guitarists’ styles, as he sounds like he’s channeling Schenker for this one. “Steal Yourself”, “Burn Your House Down”, “The Fear”, “Waving Good Bye”… Is it really necessary to go into detail? At ten songs, the album doesn’t outstay its welcome. It’s a more energetic affair than “The Visitor” overall. Vinnie Moore has really grown into the band. He has adapted his own playing style to fit seamlessly, taking influences from his predecessors without losing his own identity. Another fine UFO album that adds to the legacy, rather than detract from it. Rating – 90% Review by Doctor Doctor Sancho ﷯ ©2011 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ﷯ UFO - "Seven Deadly" ﷯ Review 23/12/2011 18:12 Translated from Greek to English: After the last albums of Uriah Heep, Yes, Journey, another band with a great course and history, returns to the spotlight with her new album. The reason for the legendary UFO, which despite its troubled past, referring to the countless musicians and changes in and out of Schenker, until the most recent health problems of their bassist Pete Way, was not put off time and continue relentlessly to make this they know well: Classic hard rock such as loved and as we learned some of the pioneers of such as these gentlemen. The advent of Vinnie Moore almost 9 years ago, is that he gave a fresh perspective and dynamic to the band, which combined with the talent, had the effect to release some very good albums. The common denominator of "You Are Here", "The Monkey Puzzle", "The Visitor", are all those classic heavy rock elements of 70's cleverly blended with the blues style, and eventually make a bridge between the past and this band. As in "The Visitor", so here, the strong paper "Seven Deadly" is the chemistry between Phil Mogg & V innie Moore, where well-crafted compositions and rich solo last find "ground" the voice of Mogg and unfold beautifully through the possible interpretations, showing that they have lost inch by the glow of the season "Strangers In The Night" & "Lights Out". The position of bass player will once again take over Peter Pichl, without taking the credits of the original UFO lineup, as there has been no official announcement from the same group for the permanent replacement of Pete Way. Some of the most remarkable moments of the "Seven Deadly", can be found in the concert "Fright Night" that wisely chosen to open and the album, "Year of the Gun" with shrill riffaki be repeated again and again, until Moore begin their "own" and "Burn Your House Down" which represents a few minutes many of the elements of music and is perhaps the most powerful moment in all configurations. Without many words, the new work of UFO continues from where it stopped its predecessor, with the same boundless energy and mood that characterizes the band and shows how the fire is still burning on the British OLD DOGS. Tracklist: 01. Fight Night 02. Wonderland 03. Mojo Town 04. Angel Station 05. Year Of The Gun 06. The Last Stone Rider 07. Steal Yourself 08. Burn Your House Down 09. The Fear 10. Waving Good Bye ﷯ ©2011 For Rockoverdose.gr, George Gourgaris
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