X-Sinner – World Covered In Blood
X-SINNER
WORLD COVERED IN BLOOD
Released 2008, 2009 (Image Records)
Track List:
01. Back In Red
02. What Rock Is For
03. Holy Ghost & Fire
04. World Covered In Blood
05. Storm On the Horizon
06. Ready To Go
07. Forgive Them
08. Wanna Be Set Free
09. Got Something To Say
10. Who’s Your Friend
11. That Ain’t Me
Band:
Rex Scott – vocals, guitars and drums
Greg Bishop – guitars
Rob Kniep – bass
Review:
X-Sinner‘s World Covered In Blood made for one of the most challenging CD’s I have yet to review. Eleven tracks of blatant AC/DC rip-offs, but yet oh-so skillfully done. Do I give it credit for its song-writing, arrangements, and blues-inspired guitar? Or, simply attack it for sounding like a bunch of Back In Black studio out-takes?
For what it is, I would have to say it is, to some degree, impressive. Rex Scott sounds like Bon Scott reincarnated as only the most die-hard fan would be able to tell the difference. The guitar work is dazzling, ala Angus Young, and the rhythm section, of course, keeps a solid 4/4 time. But why praise a work of music if it can not take on its own style? Take a listen back to the later releases of Krokus and you will hear the influence of AC/DC, but anyone could definitely tell the two bands apart.
Yet X-Sinner‘s offering is hard to judge on its own merits, mostly because it doesn’t truly have any. There is no originality in any way, shape, or form. I fail to believe that this clone of Angus and Co. was accidental. It sounds too contrived.
I always like to approach a CD with an open-mind. Rather than tear to shreds something I don’t like, I attempt to find the qualities that may, instead, appeal to someone else. With that in mind, a true fan may find this CD absolutely entertaining, because of what it offers. On the other hand, that may cause a true fan to hate it. Another factor that may work against it, World Covered In Blood is Christian rock. I am not judging one’s beliefs, but this may not help the band’s cause. The lyrics are not preachy and if the listener didn’t know otherwise, they probably wouldn’t have guessed the message that X-Sinner is offering.
Taking the easy way out, you would have to make your own judgment here. The bottom line is, if you can see past the faults, World Covered In Blood truly rocks, and if that is all that matters, then how can I argue?
www.x-sinner.org – www.myspace.com/xsinnernews – www.myspace.com/imagerecords07
Reviewed by Bruce Forrest for Sleaze Roxx, August 2009.
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