Turn up your speakers for this hard-hitting AOR album from Drive, She Said! This anthemic heavy metal rock album begs you to turn the volume up to 11…yeah, that’s ELEVEN! You won’t be sorry that you did, unless you blow your amp out…then I’m sorry, but you won’t be disappointed by the screaming Gibson licks of Al Fritsch and the awesome synths of Mark Mangold. This album is full of hit after hit with tight harmonies, powerful solos, and that throwback to the days of Album Rock as it was meant to be.
The first track off of ‘Pedal to the Metal’ might be a throwback to Mark’s old band of the same name, Touch, however, this ‘Touch” is very updated with a full compliment of synth and heavy metal guitar. There’s no mistaking that heavy bass kick that famously drives Heavy Metal so far into your brain that you can’t escape he grips of Al’s power chords and angelic vocals. This track is a perfect lead in to what you’re going to get for the rest of this album, heavy metal rock with an updated Album Oriented Rock feel.
The hits keep coming and you think you can sit down, but the title track ‘Pedal To The Metal’ catches you off guard with the screaming vocals of Fritsch over the crunch of the Gibson and the screaming solos crafted by the man himself. You’re not taking that breather, you’re shifting gears as you floor it all the way to hyperdrive, maybe even into ludicrous mode with the fast fingers of Mark on those keyboards.
The first rock ballad of the album is ‘Said it All’ with the uplifting chorus in this unrequited love song featuring the talents of Fritsch on the vocals and guitar yet again, proving his talents deserve paying attention to no matter what the style, he’s got it.
LISTEN TO A SAMPLE OF – Pedal To The Metal
Digging deeper into the album we find some intense ethereal synth sounds taking you into another universe on “Love Will Win in the End” where we see the harmonies perfectly executed in another example of what Album Oriented Rock is. You barely get to take a seat before you’re back in the saddle again riding hard on the hard hitting drums and captured by the incredible vocals of Al Fritsch then shredded by his Gibson as Mark Mangold overpowers what’s left of your senses with his keyboards and heavy synths. Pedal To The Metal is a MUST OWN for any fan of heavy metal or AOR period! No question…if you’re not sure that you’re going to like it? Buy it anyway! It’s a great album to have for parties if you need a pick-me-up!
