WILD WEST „Second To None”

Wild West are a rough and ready bunch from France who released their debut CD entitled One for Brennus Music in 1998, but I'm going to hop the stagecoach with Second To None, their second offering from 2003. From the band name you can tell Wild West want some kind of southern rock element in their music, and believe me, it's present. It's also mixed with a vast amount of 80s bad-boy attitude. I do find it a bit odd for a band from France to be titled Wild West, and to also have a few songs about Indians, Alabama, Dixie women and such, but this quirk (in my mind) really doesn't hamper the mood of Second To None. 'Unleash The Beast' opens Second To None with a southern rock style along the lines of something from D.A.D. No Fuel Left For The Pilgrims before bursting into a Sinner styled metal track, a good solid number and maybe the heaviest of the CD.
Meanwhile, 'Cross Bone Banner' shows a straight-up rocker in the key of AC/DC meets Merzy, and even some Judas Priest (maybe). 'Spread Your Wings' has a good melodic guitar and bass/drum-pumping introduction which sets off a rhythmical hard rocker that could be on a Baton Rouge or Dokken CD, however the vocals here are a bit rougher. 'Desperate', 'Calico' and 'Desert Plains' are your basic rockers while 'Horses And Eagles' takes the “lets write some memorable hooks in the lyrics” path. The CD closes with 'Loneliness Of The Wolf', 'Second To None' and 'Devils Pass', all fairly notable songs.

If there will be anything holding Wild West back, it would be the fact that the lyrics can be a bit tough to understand thanks to the thick accent of vocalist André Fuciarelli. Thank goodness the lyrics are included in the brightly colored booklet which also includes images of a wild mustang, a golden eagle, and those smelly, fly infested roadblocks in Yellowstone National Park also known as a buffalo. Other than the thick vocal accent, everything else is solid and tight within this hard rock/metal band. Heavy drumming is provided by Mickael Bahuaud, Laurent Vernier is a solid guitarist that would do well in almost any band while Stéphen Dugue knows his way around the bass guitar. Brennus Music also appears to have solid distribution worldwide including sales through Century Media, Perris Records and Sentinel Steel in the USA.

note: 7 of 10

Tracklist

Unleash The Beast
Cross Bones Banner
Spread Your Wings
Southern Spirit
Desperate
Calico
Desert Plains
Horses And Eagles
Loneliness Of The Wolf
Second To None
Devil Pass