SILENT RAGE
Silent Rage - Don't Touch Me There (Simmons/RCA) 1989
1. Runnin' On Love (3:25)
2. I Wanna Feel It Again (3:38)
3. Tonight You're Mine (3:40)
4. Rebel With a Cause (3:32)
5. Touch Me (3:53)
6. Tear Up the Night (3:25)
7. Shake Me Up (4:32)
8. Don't Touch Me There (3:38)
9. Can't Get Her Out of my Head (3:49)
10. All Night Long (3:52)
11. I'm On Fire (3:32)
Big guns, big drums, big hooks and even bigger hair. Silent Rage's sophomore release is the epitome of 1980's hair metal. The band photo on the back of "Don't Touch Me There" would rival House of Lords or Whitesnake circa 1987. Executive producer was Gene $immons, released on $immons Records and actually produced by Paul Sabu. The sound is a gritty mixture of Whitesnake and "Crazy Nights"-era Kiss. Vocalist Jesse Damon has a slightly raspy voice that is at time strikingly similar to David Coverdale. A few songs here, such as the catchy "Runnin' On Love" could have been Whitesnake songs. "Revel With A Cause" is another ultra-catchy tune and was re-recorded from the band's debut. "I Wanna Feel It Again" falls closer to the Kiss sound. There are a total of two songs with the phrase "Touch Me" in the title. The title track is one of those songs that sticks in your brain like bubblegum to the bottom of your shoes. "Tonight You're Mine" is a sappy radio ballad, made even sappier by the cheesy keyboards. File this song with "Is This Love", "Faithfully" and "Honestly". The album finishes with a Van Halen-esque hard rocker titled "I'm On Fire". Overall, despite the gloss and cheesiness of it all, "Don't Touch Me There" has just enough of an edge and plenty of hooks to make it enjoyable.