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Some might remembers M.A.R.S. - Project: Driver from the 80's, a little later Rob Rock and Roy Z started Driver and did a demo EP in 1990. Unfortunately grunge raised and nobody was interested in signing Driver. Now 18 years later Driver are 'back' and present Sons Of Thunder. On the CD you will find all 5 tracks from the 1990 EP - and some more. The old tunes are re-recorded and so they have are powerful produced and sound up-to-date - production-wise.
The intro Titans Of Speed lead into the album which opens up with I'm A Warrior, known from the EP as Warrior. But most will know the track from Impellitteri and Rob Rock's live shows. So this one isn't a surprise - and so I actually don't understand why this is one of the full versions on the promo CD. The promo CD has only 3 full versions, every other track is cut down. Beside that the album has no flow due to the cut down versions, it's impossible to do a fair review, coz you only get pieces. But I'll try to.
The next 2 tracks are also taken from the 1990 EP, but will be new to the majority. No need to talk about the technical skills of Driver, so I will concentrate on the songs. Even the old ones sound fresh and show that Driver wrote timeless heavy metal songs. The tunes are full of heavy riffs and great melodies, catchy melodies. With the title track Sons Of Thunder they push down the accelerator. The fast tune with a catchy refrain, but they vary a bit, not really in speed, the main theme is changing - and Roy Z adds a great solo. Never Give Up is a melodic metal tune with lots of neo-classical guitar. Slower and more emotional Driver sounds at Change Of Heart - an emotional balladesque tune. The slower, balladesque songs gives Rob Rock more space to express emotions. But the songs sounds quite familiar... With Only Love Can Save Me Now they present another old one which starts slowly and becomes a heavy rocker. In the late 80's / early 90's this track could have made it... Even into heavy rotation on MTV... But these days only fans of technical melodic metal and neo-classical metal will show interest. For Tears That I Cry they add some heaviness, the song leaves a good impression so far... Perhaps one of the highlights...
Well, the album would probably get a higher rating, if I could have listened to the whole songs. But if I don't know the whole song, I can only guess about it. Sometimes songs kick off strongly, but towards the end get too repetitive or simply boring - and I can't tell, if this is the case or if they can keep the level. Sorry, I can only recommend to listen to the tune and to make up your mind after listening. Check out: Sons Of Thunder, Tears That I Cry, Change Of Heart and Only Love Can Save Me Now.
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