Search - Kevin DuBrow :: In for the Kill

Much Better Than I Anticipated !

HELLDORADO69 | Houston, TX | 07/04/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I have followed Dubrow's career since Metal Health (including QR's very unappreciated works from the 90's). I have to admit that an all "covers" record isn't something that I look forward to buying from my favorite bands. But, this was different. KD doesn't just pick the standard hard rock hits from the seventies to cover here. These aren't just a bunch of classic AOR hits. And for once, someone figured out a way to do a covers record that rocks out and still stays true to the spirit of the originals. KD's backing band on this cd sounds great. The guitar player lays down some heavy duty hard rock & blues style guitar all over this cd. Also, for those of you that have heard the Japanes released QR 1 & 2 LP's from the late seventies, I think you will be able to easily detect how similar and influential the songs on In For The Kill are to those early QR recordings."

GREAT F**IN' CD!!

Riotfan | LA | 03/06/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I've been a fan of Quiet Riot for years but this solo disc by Dubrow still knocked me on my a$$ when I heard how damn great it is! This CD rocks!!Great material and great perfomances makes this one hell of a blast that definitely deserves the highest of ratings!"

A pleasant surprise

William Matson | Maine | 09/19/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

""In For The Kill" was not only one of the final recordings released by late Quiet Riot lead singer Kevin DuBrow but it was also one of his best. Released in 2004, "In For The Kill" is a collection of twelve classic rock cover songs that will surprise at least a few of Kevin's critics. DuBrow turns in a lively, energetic performance and the veteran session players who make up the rhythm section on this album provide a very solid base for the vocalist to work with. The artists covered on "In For The Kill" include Deep Purple, Queen, Mott The Hoople, Montrose, T. Rex and Nazareth, among others. The song selection is atypical of most classic rock cover albums, as most of these songs aren't covered on a regular basis. Given the good variety among the tracks, it is obvious that Mr. DuBrow not only had good taste but also appreciated the artists who came before him.



While a release like this, a solo album of classic rock covers, is generally labeled as only being for fans of that particular vocalist's band, Kevin DuBrow's "In For The Kill" is a cd that can be enjoyed by those who don't necessarily listen to Quiet Riot. There are actually a few reasons for this. Frankly, these songs are better than those found on a typical Quiet Riot album, particularly some of their lesser efforts. Secondly, Quiet Riot recorded numerous covers over the course of their recording career. For better or worse, most of those covers had a very specific sound, they sounded a lot like Quiet Riot's original songs. They shared the same 80's rock style and production techniques. "In For The Kill" features a 1970's classic rock sound and production, which you wouldn't mistake for Quiet Riot. Fans will easily recognize the vocalist but he turns in a performance that is better than the majority of his Quiet Riot records, which is probably aided by the superior material. Some might disagree but Kevin DuBrow arguably does a better job singing 70's rock than he does 80's metal.



The other thing that a listener will notice about this particular covers album is a surprising amount of passion by the musicians. Many releases of this nature, particularly on a smaller label like Shrapnel Records, are generally done for the artist or label to make a quick buck and hopefully have a little fun in the process. With "In For The Kill", both the vocalist and the backing musicians are very inspired. All twelve tracks here do justice to the original artists, a rarity for a collection of covers. There isn't an obvious track you'll want to skip over. This reviewer favors the first half of the album, which features 'Good Rockin' Tonight', 'Black Sheep Of the Family', 'Speed King' and 'Stay With Me' but this cd plays good from start to finish.



The presentation is the only area where this release comes up short. For starters, the cover art could have been better. A face shot of Kevin DuBrow (set against a red background) adorns the front cover, displaying half of his face covered with the traditional Quiet Riot mask. The liner notes are very brief, which isn't the least bit surprising. The only other black mark here is that the track listing is incorrect in one place. If memory serves, songs #10 and #11 are reversed and do not play in their listed order on the cd. Otherwise things look great.



"In For The Kill" can safely be recommended to fans of the Quiet Riot fanbase, who can expect to hear something a little different than they are accustomed to but something that they can easily enjoy nonetheless. Listeners of 1980's rock and metal groups, such as Quiet Riot, who are not familiar with most 60's and 70's classic rock are going to be exposed to a lot of vintage rock and roll in this set. This particular audience is going to come away with a newfound appreciation for some of these selections, which I am sure Kevin DuBrow was hoping for when recording the tunes found on "In For The Kill." As for those who aren't as fond of Quiet Riot (or Mr. DuBrow), if you are a fan of the classic rock genre, I strongly urge you to listen to a few clips from this album. Some of you are going to be pleasantly surprised by the quality of this recording. Like him or not, "In For The Kill" is a solid demonstration that Kevin DuBrow's rock and roll pipes were still in fine form in the years leading up to his untimely passing in 2007."