Fourteen bands and almost forty years into his career, renowned metal drummer Vinny Appice (DIO, BLACK SABBATH) refuses to slow down. His new project, WAMI (White Appice Mendoza Iggy), teams him up with singer Doogie White (RAINBOW, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN), bassist Marco Mendoza (THIN LIZZY, WHITESNAKE), and guitarist Iggy Gwadera. The group has great chops, and years of experience between them, but "Kill The King," the group's debut record, falls just a bit short of expectations.

While the rest of the band's members have simple name recognition with most Metal heads, the wild-card here is the Gwadera, who the band recruited following his band ANTI TANK NUN supporting THIN LIZZY at a concert in Poland. Despite his age, the kid has some serious talent. There are guys ten years older than him who don't play half as well, or maturely, as he does on "Kill The King." His powerful riffs, combined with Appice's killer drumming, are the pillars of WAMI's sound.

The music itself is high-quality, heavy Rock, but the album as a whole is missing a certain spontaneity to it that makes Rock what it is. That is not to say that there aren't any good songs here; quite the contrary. "Exodus (The Red Sea Crossing)" has a sort of mystic vibe to it, from the understated intro to the powerful main riff, and White's melodic singing is the cherry on top of this offering. "The Rider" is another solid offering, showcasing Gwadera's many talents in its chugging riffs and absolutely blistering soloing. Lots of guys can play fast and technical, but Iggy has a real knack for playing leads that serve the song well, don't sound like overly typical Rock leads, and can blow the listener's mind. "Wild Woman (You Oughta Know)" is another decent track that has a cool kind of street-vibe to it. "Guardian Of Your Heart" smacks of QUEENSRŸCHE's "Silent Lucidity" in places, but it's still done well enough.

While "Heart Of Steel" has its moments, including its catchy chorus and tough-guy riffs, there's too much in the album's second half that feels like Rock that's done very much by-the-numbers. The lyrics in "Young Blood," for example, aren't bad, but just aren't very compelling, and White's straightforward delivery makes it feel too tame. "Transition" is good in the instrument-only sections, and merely OK overall. "I Don't Wanna Lose You" is another well-executed ballad, but it feels a bit extraneous; the album could have really used something more explosive and exciting to close it out, instead of another soft number.

It could be that I'm being too hard on these guys, but for musicians with the reputations they have, along with the energetic playing of their youthful shredder, I was hoping for something less safe sounding. If you're a fan of any of these artists' previous works, or Hard Rock in general, then "Kill The King" is a fine listen, but hardly a thrilling one.