ratt

infestation

For me the best Ratt ever put out was their self-titled EP way back when, sure the couple that followed were cool & sold millions, but that initial passion did it for me.

Over the years I've seen this band lots of times both in the UK, The States and even once down under a few years back with Winger in support. Sometimes they are good, sometimes they are bad and it generally seems to come down to how Mr Pearcy is performing.

Never the greatest of rock voices, Pearcy is at least distinctive and when he's on form things tend to go well. On Infestation he and the band are thankfully on good form.

After a strong & very characteristic opener in 'Eat Me Up Alive' the next track 'Best of Me' goes melodic on us and works really well. Ratt may not have put out anything new in the past ten years but you have to go back over 20 to hear a Ratt album this good. Tracks like 'A Little Too Much' may err on the side of a lazier more 'generic' Ratt sound but most of the tracks on here sound like they have had a fresh breath of life. The addition of Carlos Cavarso seems to be part of that new lease of life and
he and Warren De Martini steal the show, though Pearcy and the rest of the guys put in solid performances.

Lead single 'Best of Me' is a great track, but then so is the rocker 'Last Call'. Indeed it and the likes of 'Look out Below'; 'Garden of Eden' and 'Take a big Bite' stand well up against the majority of the back
catalogue.

Of the lot here only the ballad 'Take me Home' fails to please, and closer 'Don't Let Go' isn't the best track, an odd way to end an album with one of the weaker songs. Minor quibbles though really.

Who would have thought these old dogs had it in them to put out something this good after so long?

Mark