Ball ‘n’ Chain’s third CD Sands Of Time is loaded with balls to wall hard-rocking songs sure to go over well with any hard-partying music fan. Bass player Joe Black once worked with Charlie Farren in the well respected 1980s band Balloon. Black has written most of the material on Sands Of Time, showing he’s a solid song craftsman as well as a heavy dude on bass guitar.
For Ball ‘n‘ Chain, Black has assembled a crack team of players who know how to rock without getting all pretty about it. Black gets the band to fill it all out his material with feisty melodic phrases, slamming low end, pounding drums, and icy cool keyboards.
Opening track “Strokes” benefits from the way each band member fills in the sonic whole. Some wild fire edgy guitar work by Aart Knyff keep the ears glued. Black and drummer John Billy “Bam Bam” Wooldridge keep the grooves and beats heavy and non-stop. Keyboardist Tom D’Amico layers the whole tune with more rocking vibe. Just when you think this band is rocking hard, they throw in some extra treats: Knyff’s guitar break could set the world on fire with its bracing spark, and lead singer Jeffrey Baker belts with arena rock aplomb.
Baker rocks as hard as Bon Scott on “Win Or Lose,” his timbre a natural hard rock high pitch shriek. He sings with a swaggering attitude on “Win Of Lose” that finds a natural place among Knyff’s blistering guitar attacks and the rhythm section’s deadly serious, purposeful stride.
“Cryin’ Shame” finds the band rocking in their mellower vibe. Baker belts this power ballad over Knyff’s sweet, nimble acoustic picking and rhythm section heavy bottom was the song expands righteously on the chorus. “Cryin’ Shame” could easily be picked up modern rock radio stations. The vocal expression and the guitar work are top notch. D’Amico coats the whole affair with a synthesized string section. There is much above average hard rock going on here.
“Let It All Hang Out” makes the most of the band’s classic hard rock influences. Baker belts in sinister wails that may have been influenced by Ronnie James Dio. The band slam-bangs it way through the twists and turns in the rhythm like a boxer delivering muscular punches with power and precision.
Ball ‘n’ Chain sing about karma in “What Comes Around Goes Around.” Baker’s metalish voice rides this rollercoaster of a sounds cape with smooth self-control. Knyff presses out some lean, mean phrases, and the rhythm section kicks ass by playing a ton of notes furiously, more than what you usually find in this genre. You often feel like banging your head.
“Only A Fool,” written by Charlie Farren, blasts its way into your consciousness with a screaming lead guitar phrase. From there, the boys just rock out with a tough, heavy groove, laser sharp keyboards, and Baker’s self-assured hard rock crooning. This is a singer you wouldn’t want to run into a dark alley. Underneath his vocal prowess plays out a steady, stinging guitar line. When Baker harmonizes, he creates a muscular texture that widens the band’s sound and grabs the ears like a potential hit song should.
Baker belts his way into “Real Woman” with a sharp delivery. He soars through the chorus with a hint of sinister metal style. The guitar riffs here are nice and punchy, even before Knyff whips out a blistering six string attack on the break. Speedy bass notes and sudden impact drumming complete the bad ass feel of the sonic structure. The band is tight as hell and all of their walloping notes come together as a massive architecture of hard rocking integrity.
“Sink The Rig” practically burst its way out of your stereo speakers like a barroom brawl spilling out into the street. . Ball ‘n’ Chain would be good to have on your side in a rumble. The band rocks with big balls. The notes are so clean that you can easily picture Black hitting his strings and “Bam Bam” as they call him pounding the skins at top speed.
“Baby Blues” gives new meaning to up tempo. Adept muscular drumming and bass playing give this one a hefty, expansive bottom. Knyff riffs a mile a minute, and Baker gives it his super lung best. You feel you’re in the hands of band that knows how to rock your senses with solid instrumentation and banshee vocalizing.
The Ball ‘n’ Chain guys close out their disc with the fist pumping energy of “Don’t Play With Fire.” Sprawling drum rolls, bass runs, ripping guitar riffs, blistering guitar licks, and demonic vocal possession keep sparking and spiking through the entire song.
There’s boundless energy, tight musicianship, and mounds of talent in the hard rocking Ball ‘n’ Chain. This new Sands Of Time CD is an impressive documentation of their skills in the studio. It should be garnering them plenty of airplay, press, new rooms, and new fans.
