Band : Warrant
Album title : Rockaholic
Label : Frontiers Records
Distributor :  Rough Trade Benelux.
Release Date : 13/05/2011
Release : CD

I remember Warrant for their eighties hit ‘Cherry Pie’ and another song that featured on their debut album “Cherry Pie” that was called ‘Uncle Tom’s Cabin’.  Those were the days when – if you stayed up late enough that is – you could watch ‘MTV Headbangers ball’ on MTV Europe.  Those were the days my friend….  Nowadays it’s hard to find some decent metal or hard rock on MTV, except a few of the bigger names.

I did buy the second Warrant album as well, but must admit there’s not one song that I have any remembrance of.  Maybe it’s time to dust of those old CD’s, and listen to my old collection once again, maybe some unknown gems might be unearthed.

No whereas Warrant continued bringing out new music, albeit no longer with their first vocalist Jani Lane, it seems they were never that popular during their time with Jamie St. James (former – and present Black’N Blue vocalist).
When Jamie St. James returned to his old Black’N Blue stable, Warrant found a replacement vocalist in Robert Mason (Lynch Mob, Big Cock).  And bringing him on board seems to have a big uplifting effect on the music Warrant produces.  I don’t hear any glam influences anymore.  This album harks back to eighties hard rock, but the groovy kind that is.

Since I did not follow the career of this band after their first second CD’s, it’s hard to make a judgment, but if I compare this CD to those I own, I think it’s the best work they’ve produced to this day.  But I’m afraid this gem will go by more or less unnoticed, which is quite a shame, because there are some tracks, like the ballad ‘Home’ that, given they had been released by Bon Jovi for instance, would have become hits, but since we’re only talking about Warrant here, and given the fact that at least in Europe they will probably not have airplay, so will pass unnoticed.

If you like you eighties hard rock, go and buy this album.

90/100

Erik Morren.