DRIVE
Drive - Diablero (Zoo
Entertainment) 1992
1. "Dream Ceremony"
(5:26)
2. "Shapeshifter" (5:48)
3. "Pandilla" (6:51)
4. "Once Again" (4:18)
5. "Betrayed" (3:33)
6. "Brujo" (4:52)
7. "Full Moon Rising" (5:09)
8. "Remember" (4:21)
9. "A Character in Time" (3:29)
10. "An Eagle Soars" (5:08)
11. "Money, Marbles, and Chalk" (3:57)
12. "Barrio Blues" (426)
This CD was given to me by a friend and fellow hard rock/heavy metal fan. He was very excited for me to check them out and with good reason. Drive rock! The band manages to successfully mix together classic hard rock and heavy metal, to come up with something very enjoyable. They do have a slight 80's sound overall, especially due to the high, smooth vocals of David Earl Taylor. Musically I'd compare "Diablero" to TNT, Crimson Glory's "Strange & Beautiful" and Fifth Angel. At times I'd even say that this album sounds like a long lost TNT album. David Early Taylor has similarities to TNT's Tony Harnell at times. The band is also slightly progressive, offering some experimental sounds within the songs. I really liked the little Spanish, salsa guitar lick thrown into the middle of "Pandilla". However, for the most part "Diablero" is catchy, melodic, straight forward hard rock with the exception of the obligatory ballad in "Once Again" and the haunting "A Character in Time".