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5 Excellent - Masterpiece. A classic.
4.5-4 Great - Almost perfect records but there's probably a lacking.
3.5 Good - Most of the record is good, but there may be some filler.
3 Average - Some good songs, some bad ones at about a half/half ratio.
2.5-2 Fair - Worth a listen, but best obtained by collectors.
1.5-1 Bad - Major problems with music, lyrics, production, etc.
0 Terrible - Waste of your life and time.

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The best way to determine how much you may like certain music is to listen to it yourself.
Band
Johnny Lokke
Title
Wrecking Ball
Type
LP/EP
Company
Independent
YOR
2003
Style
Traditional
Popular Reviews
8/4/2003 - Review by: Eric Compton
Johnny Lokke - Wrecking Ball 2003 Big Riff Records reviewed by: EC

Track Listing
1. Wrecking Ball
2. Human Race
3. In The End
4. Down To London
5. See You Around
6. Lightning And Fire
7. Take The World
8. Fuel
9. Eyes Of The Gods
10. War
11. Burn
12. Sins Of The World
We've heard alot about Rob Halford and Tim Owens of late. I think its time for someone to start talking about Johnny Lokke! This man has one incredible set of pipes, belting out classic metal ala Wade Black, James Rivera, and..well...Rob Halford.

Wrecking Ball is Lokke's second album, and finds him doing vocals as well as all guitars on this release. What an amazing talent from this Kansas metal madman!

This album really comes at you in different angles and directions. These days metal fans seem to think its okay to rip-off "Painkiller" riffs and wail like the Metal God (Primal Fear, Seven Witches, etc), and I'm perfectly fine with that. That is if they can mix the album up with some mid-tempo stuff and melodic hooks and passages. Johnny Lokke does this, and indeed does it well.

Sure there is Priest barn-burners on here, like "Lightning And Fire", "War", and the impressive title track "Wrecking Ball". However this record has other great elements to go along with it, such as the Warrior like "Eyes Of The Gods", the bluesy number "Down To London", and the Winter's Bane bite of "In The End".

"Human Race" has a Metal Gods feel, with an epic solo courtesy of guest guitarist Stefan Leibing, who helps out on "Down To London" as well. Check out the thrashy "Burn" and the memorable songwriting of "See You Around" to see the diversity and overall "stand alone" quality this album possesses. Really great stuff on here folks!

I haven't heard the prior Lokke release, but from what "Wrecking Ball" has to offer I can imagine its nothing short of brilliant. Great American releases like this make me proud of the US metal scene. It seems like America's heartland still has the metal passion (Iced Earth, Catch 22, Conquest, Skullview, Twelfth Gate, etc.). Now if we can just get the label execs to recognize it.

--EC 08.0503
  • 1 :REVIEW COUNT
    N/A :AVE RATING

ALL REVIEWS FOR: JOHNNY LOKKE
TITLE
DOR
COMPANY
 REVIEWER DATE MADE RATING
Wrecking Ball
2003
Independent
Eric Compton8/4/2003
-

ALL INTERVIEWS FOR: JOHNNY LOKKE
INTERVIEW INTERVIEWER DATE TAGLINE
Johnny LokkeGuest5/31/2004
Johnny LokkeGuest9/12/2003


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