Sacred Heart – Lay It On The Line

SACRED HEART
LAY IT ON THE LINE
Released 2004 (Sacred Heart Music)

Track List:
01. Lay It On The Line
02. Rock N Roll Away
03. N.Y.C
04. The Last Goodbye
05. Always
06. What It Takes
07. In My Heart
08. It’s Alright
09. Hand In Hand
10. Forever (Acoustic)

Band:
Paul Stead – lead and backing vocals, rhythm and lead guitars and keyboards
Mark Stephenson – lead and rhythm guitars and backing vocals
Leigh Westbrook – bass and backing vocals
Claudio Cafolla – drums and backing vocals

Production:
Produced and recorded by Dave Johnstone and Sacred Heart.

Review:
Listening to this CD I kept thinking I had heard it before, and then it finally dawned on me. Sacred Heart reminded me of Warrant, mainly due to the fact that vocalist Paul Stead sounds very similar to Jani Lane. However this is heavier then the typical Warrant releases and Lay It On The Line actually would have been a worthy follow-up to Dog Eat Dog.

  Don’t let the uninspired album cover fool you, this is well played slick melodic metal. For an independent release the production is top-notch, yet doesn’t suck the life out of the band. Every harmony, beat and note is meticulously placed creating a crisp sound. “Lay It On The Line” and “N.Y.C” show what the band is all about right out of the gate – addictive harmonies and prefect song structures. “Rock N Roll Away” brings back memories of the metal anthem, complete with lyrics of “throw your hands up in the sky”. “The Last Goodbye” is a killer mid-tempo rocker with a great chorus and memorable guitar riffs.

  Like any 80s sounding album, this release comes complete with your typical ballads. Fans of Warrant, Whitesnake (during their later years) and Transit should enjoy Sacred Heart. Not the most original recording to arrive on my desk lately, but there was enough here to keep me entertained – and really, what else is important? The band’s official website is www.sacredheartband.com.

Reviewed by Skid for Sleaze Roxx, September 2004.

Buy The CD:
Purchase at eBay.com