Year : 1989 (Rock Candy Remastered 2017)
Style : Melodic Hard Rock
Country : United States
Audio : 320 kbps + scans + Video
Size : 171 mb
Bio:
Lillian Axe is a hard rock band from New Orleans, Louisiana best known for their major label albums, Lillian Axe and Love + War, and Poetic Justice, the band's biggest commercial success. Originally formed in 1983, the group is still active today although only guitarist Steve Blaze remains from the original line-up.The classic line-up came together when former Stiff members, Ron Taylor (lead vocals) and Jon Ster (rhythm guitar, keyboards, backing vocals), teamed up with Lillian Axe members Steve Blaze (lead guitar, keyboards, backing vocals), Rob Stratton (bass guitar), and Danny King (drums) in 1987. The band caught the attention of Ratt's management which led to a record deal with MCA and Ratt's Robbin Crosby producing the self-titled debut. However, neither Lillian Axe' nor the 1989 follow-up, Love + War, produced by Tony Platt, met commercial expectations and the group was quickly dropped. A compilation of both MCA albums, (1987-1989) Out of the Darkness - Into the Light, was released in 1991.The band would find a new label home with Grand Slamm/I.R.S. Records for 1992's Poetic Justice, with Darrin DeLatte (bass) and former Dirty Looks member Gene Barnett (drums) replacing Stratton and King, respectively. The album peaked on the Billboard Top Heatseekers at No. 28,[2] the band's biggest success to date, in part based on the strength of the single, "True Believer." Returning to the studio once again with Swedish producer Leif Mases, the group issued Psychoschizophrenia in 1993, with Tommy Scott taking over on drums for Gene Barnett. Unable to capitalize on their previous success, Lillian Axe disbanded in 1995. Ron Taylor would form The Bridge, while Steve Blaze teamed up with his brother, drummer Craig Nunenmacher, in Near Life Experience, and Tommy Scott, aka Tommy Stewart, found success with Boston's Godsmack, appearing on the band's platinum selling Godsmack and Awake albums.In 1999, Lillian Axe released, Fields of Yesterday, consisting of unreleased demos and album outtakes, followed by Live 2002, recorded in May 2002 in Houston, TX, with only Taylor and Blaze remaining from the classic MCA line-up.After several line-up changes, the band recruited lead vocalist Derrick LeFevre, who appeared on Waters Rising (2007), Sad Day on Planet Earth (2009), and Deep Red Shadows (2010). On June 23, 2010, Ronny Munroe, formerly of Metal Church, replaced Derrick LeFevre as lead vocalist but departed four months later before recording any material with the band. He was replaced Brian C. Jones who can be heard on the latest release, XI The Days Before Tomorrow (2012).On August 8, 2013, Lillian Axe was involved in an automobile accident.Lillian Axe will release One Night in the Temple, an acoustic live album, on April 15, 2014.
Album:
Two of the most underrated – but widely respected – releases from the late ‘80s were undoubtedly the first pair of albums by New Orleans-based hard rock outfit LILLIAN AXE. Now Rock Candy Records have provided their ‘Remastered & Reloaded‘ treatment to them shaped from 24 BIT digital technology. “Love + War” was the band’s sophomore release, clearly surpassing the already great quality of the rocking debut.Lillian Axe – which been led since their inception in 1983 by guitarist Steve Blaze – formed in New Orleans, and establishing themselves as local heroes the band went through a variety of line ups, before settling on the Lillian Axe moniker.Spotted by RATT’s manager Marshall Berle, the band signed a recording deal with MCA and released their self-titled debut in 1988.For Lillian Axe, the commercial under achievement of their debut album was a bitter pill to swallow. Yet it wasn’t anywhere near as disappointing as the lacklustre performance of their second album “Love + War”, a record that has gone on to be regarded by many as one of the most accomplished and best loved records from the late ’80s.Somehow they managed to achieve creative heaven with this release, a record that demonstrated an ability to write and perform courageous songs, elevating their reputation above the expectations normally associated with the sort of generic hard rock they had been lumped in with.“Love + War” showcases a much more mature songwriting, a decidedly edgy material, one keen to explore and experiment with arrangements and performances that are light years ahead of the competition.In addition, the production, courtesy of British engineer Tony Platt (Def Leppard, AC/DC, Krokus) presented the band and their songs in a wide screen style, accentuating every twist and turn with pin-point accuracy.The end result was a superbly melodic, radio friendly, hard rock record.With cuts like “All’s Fair In Love and War,” “She Likes It On Top,” “Ghost of Winter,” the lead off single (and video) “Show A Little Love,” and the Girl cover of “My Number” featuring dialogue by Prince protege Vanity, “Love + War” provided Lillian Axe their fair share of airplay on the syndicated Z-Rock. Unfortunately, not many people outside the glam rock circles heard it.The fact that the album tanked is solely the responsibility of MCA Records who did nothing (once again) to boost a Lillian Axe record.As said, this second Lillian Axe effort is a superb ’80s hard rock album with that kind of huge production impossible to recreate today. This Rock Candy Records remaster of “Love + War” is great, as it comes out punchy and dynamic avoiding brickwalling.It’s a true crying shame that “Love + War” wasn’t properly promoted back in the day (and I know many of you never heard a single musical bit of it) as this is truly one of the most sensational records of the era, a buried treasure waiting to be rediscovered.
Line Up:
Ron Taylor – lead vocals
Steve Blaze – lead guitar, backing vocals, keyboards
Jon Ster – rhythm guitar, backing vocals, keyboards
Rob Stratton – bass guitar
Danny King – drums
Tracklist:
01. All’s Fair In Love And War
02. She Likes It On Top
03. Diana
04. Down On You
05. The World Stopped Turning
06. Ghost Of Winter
07. My Number
08. Show A Little Love
09. Fool’s Paradise
10. Letters In The Rain
+ Video "Show A Little Love" (Official Video)
Download links for all albums only on our blog here: http://goodmetalandhar.do.am/
