Spread Eagle – The Brutal Divine – Album Review – frontiersmusicsrl

Review By Darren McIntyre

Spread Eagle are a hard rock / glam metal band from New York City, New York who originally formed in 1989, whilst rehearsing for their first gig they were signed to MCA Universal Records and the rest as they say is history. The boys were gigging and playing live all over New York from 1989 till 1995 but decided to call it a day, they went their seperate ways and found new avenues to fill the void. After a chance meeting of Rob & Ray they decided to relaunch the band and they got down to business doing shows and festivals, they re- released their debut album Spread Eagle and boom off we go. The boys have been hard at work in the studio and on the 12 th June the deliver their latest studio offering The Brutal Divine which I will be reviewing for you today, please sit back and pour yourself a cold one as I take us through this blistering 10 track menace that is sure to put a smile on your face.

Flat Earth Vultures – A fuzzy, sleazy guitar lick wanders through the opening as this bruiser comes to life as Ray leans in and lets his melodic vocals lead us down the road. A dark, brooding, meaty bassline commands the room as it drops in with sleazy grooves that give the track depth and swagger. The crunching guitar fills are really getting the juices flowing as we feel the energy oozing from the boys as this rasping beast kicks in the doors and lets us have it both barrels, the rhythm section is hitting us with a solid snare / bass beat that lets the track tell it’s own story as the boys give us a storming opening track that tells us we are in for a hair-raising ride with these 4 gladiators. The tempo changes pace ever so slightly as they set out their stall and hit us with a crisp, clean guitar solo that punches us straight in the face with it’s intense tone, shredding riffs and powering groove that really lets Ray give us a soaring vocal onslaught that is just the perfect way to kick off this blistering new offering.

Street Noise – A fast, furious guitar riff gets this banger off the ground as the thundering rhythm section brings the heat with a real pounding snare / bass beat that lets this groover lead the way. The boys are picking up where they left off with a real sleazy / glam outlook that gets the juices flowing for sure as the funking, dark bassline drops in and offloads with a real delicious groove that wraps itself around this crunching beast. The vocals are sharp, gritty and really let us know that the boys have poured their heart and soul into this kick ass album as we get to grips with the lyrics that flow effortlessly through the rasping, galloping riffs that are just building as we feel the energy rolling through this foot stomping beast as the boys shift through the gears and hit us with all they have.

Gunflower – A sludgy, gritty guitar lick opens the track as the pounding rhythm section kicks in the doors and hits us with both barrels as the solid snare punches come at us thick and fast. The galloping riffs are just punching us straight in the face as the boys give us what we are craving as this foot stomping monster tells it’s own story as we feel the energy oozing from each musician as they just bring it, the drum fills are controlling the groove as we let the power drenched beats take the track off down the road. The cool, meaty bassline is handing us cool, funking grooves that just let the track build and grow as the boys are hitting full tilt as the crunching guitar fills really give the track an edgy, rasping feel as the boys let their inner rocker shine through as the vocals wrap themselves all over this thundering beast and then some.

Jail Rat – A sweet, melodic guitar lick wanders through the opening before the hammer drops and the soaring monster kicks in and lets the soaring beats fill the air as we let the boys do their thing. The snare drum punches work well with the arrangement as we get a foot stomping feel to this rasping beast as the dark, brooding bassline comes through and hits us with a real deep, meaty funk tone, the epic vocals are leading the track as they deliver a gravelly, sludgy tone that fits the arrangement perfectly as the track changes tempo and really ramps up the groove of this fast, furious rock n roll arrangement. The boys sound like they are enjoying themselves with this solid slab of sleazy rock n roll that is just good for the soul, the slick, crisp searing guitar solo is just off the chart good.

Forbidden Local Honey – A full on, funking bassline lets the track breathe as the thundering rhythm section leans in with shuddering snare punches that bring the bass kicks that really control the direction of this killer track. The foot stomping grooves are weaving their way through the arrangement as Ray lets his crunching vocals lead the way as we get to grips with this awesome release, the boys are hitting us with all they have as this fist pumping track brings dark, delicious bass grooves that just wrap themselves around this sizzling offering that just grabs our attention. The sweet, crisp guitar licks are awesome as they allow the boys the room to bring us a cool, meaty album that is just putting a smile on our faces.

Pushed To The Limit – This is a real sludgy, galloping monster that lets the rhythm section kick in the doors and let us have it both barrels as the rasping groove grabs our attention. The gritty vocals are weaving their way through the track as the boys shift through the gears and let us feel the energy pouring from each musician as the track builds and builds, the soaring, dark bassline is hitting us with a real meaty funk groove that fits the arrangement perfectly as the boys bring the glitz, glamour and rock n roll to this classy piece of music. The crunching guitar licks are just rippling through the track and they allow the boys to leave their mark on this fast paced, rock n roll bruiser as the slick, crisp licks really crank up the volume on this classy inspired number.

Ant Farm – A sludgy, gritty guitar riff wanders through the intro as the rhythm section commands the track with a solid snare / bass combo that allows the track to breathe. The melodic, moody vocals leave their mark on this gritty beast as the furious grooves really let the track tell it’s own story as we let the boys run riot with a colossal sound that is just so infectious, the crisp guitar fills work well with a dark, moody bassline that drops in and wraps itself around this well worked number that is bubbling with crisp tones and awesome guitar riffs that it will have you reaching for the repeat button for sure. The vocals are strong, gravelly and really give the track depth, attitude and plenty to shout about.

Scars In Our Eyes(City Kids) – A rockin, punchy groove flows freely through the intro as the rhythm section kicks in the doors with a real solid snare beat that lets the track breathe. The dark, brooding bassline comes through and really allows the track to build as the funky, meaty grooves weave their way through the track as the boys dig deep and let the music flow, the gritty, melodic vocals are hitting us and they give the track some depth and attitude as the sweet guitar licks ripple through the track and let the soul shine through as this rasping, meaty groover changes tempo for a little as we get a foot stomping beat that wanders effortlessly through the arrangement as the boys kick ass and take names with this bruising track that has a real meaty feel to it. The whole album is a corker as it gets better and better with every track that comes our way.

Inside A Shrunken Head – There is a real gritty punk feel to this track as the doors fly open and the galloping riffs punch us straight in the face with their intensity as this fist pumping monster makes itself known to us. The thundering rhythm section is just commanding the room with it’s full on snare / bass kicks that let the groove roam free as the boys let themselves go and let us feel the energy oozing from the boys as they kick off with this soaring beast. The slick, crisp riffs are wrapped in a dark, brooding bassline that just builds and builds with ease as Rob digs deep and hits us with an upper cut of delicious grooves that let the track flow freely through the mid section, Ray leans in with his gritty, melodic vocals and really allows the tone to wander effortlessly through the track and let us know that the boys are back and back for good with this barnstorming album that just pops.

Makebeliever – Finishing the album off in style comes a real crunching riff that works well with the rhythm section as the foot stomping groove grabs our attention as the arrangement comes at us. The cool, dark vocals run freely through the track and let the vocals leave their mark as the track gives us meaty, funk laden basslines that are dark and bring tone to this gritty rocker, the rhythm section is commanding the track with it’s solid snare punches that come at us at a rate of noughts that really elevate the track somewhat. The last track is a rea sleazy, gritty number that lets the guitar licks leave their mark as the tempo changes pace and lets the boys express themselves as they shift through the gears and hit us with a real gutsy groove that lets this track breathe, the boys have penned 10 great tracks that will almost sound way better when blasted live on stage.

Spread Eagle –

Ray West – Lead Vocals

Gianmaria ‘ Jommy ‘ Puleddo – Guitars / Vocals

Rob De Luca – Bass / Vocals

Rik De Luca – Drums

Track Listing –

Flat Earth Vultures

Street Noise

Gunflower

Jail Rat

Forbidden Local Honey

Pushed To The Limit