What do we have here? One more from-the-vaults release by AOR specialists Frontiers Records. This may be ACTION's debut album (as a release) but there's nothing 'recent' here since the vast majority - if not all - of the songs were penned years ago. Action is an album applicable to all 80s AOR/Power Rock aficionados.
ACTION is the brainchild of David Ramos. Apart from his involvement with various 80s Rock/Metal bands (nothing 'mainstream'), Ramos (according to the Press Release) has shared the stage with QUIET RIOT, FIREHOUSE, SLAUGHTER, ROUGH CUTT and ZEBRA among many others. David and colleague singer/songwriter Jack Marques buried all ACTION tunes in their closet. Now, twenty two years after the original incarnation of the band, songs from the past are featured in a CD release. And, to expand, no one would expect something different:
A blend of JOURNEY, BOSTON, NELSON, STARSHIP, DEF LEPPARD, DRIVE SHE SAID, DANGER DANGER is what you get here. There are classic AOR fast-ies around, many cuts are of this mid-tempo sweet multitude plus one or two tracks are more 'new Rock' orientated. Marques' voice is clear, not high-pitched and warm enough. He resembles - in his middles - to BOSTON's Brad Delp (R.I.P.) while some of his charisma lays on his ability in providing sugary yet non-pathetic vocal melodies. Ramos' work - on the other hand is high-influenced by Tom Scholz (BOSTON) and Neal Schon (JOURNEY, BAD ENGLISH, HARDLINE) with all the related evidence.
Action is anything but a bad album. Still, I'm an '80s' luna and don't know how many people - especially if being 'online' - can be informed 'bout this release. For the average Hard 'n' Heavy e-visitor of today this album is worth a...