Chase The Ace – Are You Ready?

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Review by Woody

Z Records

Are You Ready is the debut album from Israeli rockers Chase the Ace and at fifteen tracks long definitely represents value for money. These young guys are far from inexperienced with a healthy back catalogue and profile in their native homeland with albums in Hebrew. This album though is not only their debut as Chase The Ace but also their first in the English language.

Its rambunctious, fun-filled rock ‘n’ roll which displays its late eighties hair metal influences with pride. If you’re a fan of bands like Motley Crue, Poison and Guns and Roses this album is going to be right up your street. Whilst on the whole this owes a lot to the hair metal sound, Chase The Ace do show off other influences on a few tracks, most notably a very typical British seventies style classic rock feel on ‘Rock Bottom Rock N Roll’. Are You Ready is all about fun, it’s tongue-in-cheek, taking nothing serious and just having a good time. This collection of songs is filled with a youthful zest that just makes you want to smile and dance. The lyrics are pretty damn awful though; part of me thinks it may be because English is not their first language but then again, thinking about it, hair metal bands weren’t exactly known to be lyrical geniuses back in the day, so it’s no surprise these guys write the way they do.

That said, the album closer ‘Feel Like A Fool’ sees them buck the trend and this emotive ballad actually has some heartfelt and non-cheesy lyrics. Although I love that ballad, they really shine and excel when it’s all pounding energy and hair throwing rock n roll. ‘Tapped Out’, ‘Raise Your Glass’ and ‘The Cat Is On The Loose’ are all kick ass tracks that show that and also hint that Chase The Ace could be a killer live act if these tracks have half the bounce live as they do through my stereo speakers.

For me what makes them stand out from the crowd are the awesome guitar skills of Omer Schinder who lays out some killer hooks and licks which give the album its bombastic energy. It’s nice to hear the acoustic instrumental ‘Morning Wood’ which really highlights what a talent he is. Combined with Roi Vito Peleg’s rock star swaggering vocals and raspy rock n roll howls and snarls it makes Chase The Ace a truly exciting listen.

Are You Ready does have a few filler tracks but that doesn’t distract from what an exhilarating fun time album it is when you crank it up to neighbour annoying decibel levels! Well worth checking out if you are looking for something that you don’t have to think too much about and just wanna get your rock on!

Chase-The-Ace8 out of 10

Track Listing:

  1. Are You Ready
  2. The Cat Is On The Loose
  3. Rock Bottom Rock N Roll
  4. Made Out Of Ice
  5. Change My Ways
  6. California
  7. Dear Deamon
  8. Raise Your Glass
  9. Morning Wood
  10. Tapped Out
  11. Burned Me Down
  12. Bring You Back
  13. Take Me Home
  14. We’re Taking Over
  15. Feel Like A Fool

 

 

1 COMMENT

  1. Aw Woody – there was me thinking you were a man of taste…this album is amateurish, unbelievably derivative and the lyrics are laughable…8/10? c’mon man :-)

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