OK, metalheads, quiz time. What do QUIET RIOT, STRYPER, FIREHOUSE and RIOT all have in common? Besides being some of metals biggest and most successful acts, they have now joined forces to create the supergroup CLEANBREAK.  Frontiers Music have brought together the talents of vocalist James Durbin, guitarist Mike Flyntz, bassist Perry Richardson and drummer Robert Sweet to record the much-anticipated debut full length album "Coming Home" released in July 2022. With the brilliance of Italian writer/producer Alessandro Del Vecchio, (also the keyboardist for HARDLINE) behind the soundboard, this band radiates of 80's thunderous, melodic, old-school metal. I am super pumped to have the opportunity to review this album of what should rock my socks off and with the volume fully cranked, and once again, have my neighbors calling the cops.... hell, what's one more "disturbing the peace" citation.

"Coming Home" opens the album and hits the ground running, no fooling around here, a bombardment of jamming riffs, plastered with sweet, rocking vocals of James Durbin with his incredible range and prowess while Mike Flyntz displays his crushing, trajectory of guitar mastery and the tight rhythm section. As Renee Zellweger said in the movie Jerry McGuire "You had me at hello", CLEANBREAK you had me at "Coming Home", I know I'm gonna love this album, so let's continue on with "Before the Fall", which keeps steam rolling with wailing, crisp vocals, infectious riffs to give an uncompromising metal sound. The third track is "Dying Breed" which is simply a kick-ass, rocking, explosive metal song. "The Man of Older Soul" furious, thundering riffs meets exceptional vocals meets crunching solos meets striking drums to equal awesome. I was ready for a rock ballad on "The Pain of Goodbye" but Au Contraire (I know one French word, and that's it), keeping the pedal to the metal with slamming riffs and blistering melody.

I could have reviewed all eleven songs on this album, but I would have sounded like a broken record and used up all my ingenious adjectives. With the distinct, unmistakable vocals of James Durbin, there was a possibility that all songs might start sounding similar, but Nein (that's German for no, ok now I'm just showing off) each song has a unique, distinguished, and extravagant sound, and each song rocks hard and heavy. CLEANBREAK sounds like a seasoned, veteran band that has been together for years perfecting their sound, not just formed in the last year. I haven't been this blown away by an album in quite some time, I love, love, love this album, the musicianship is outstanding merged with tried-and-true quintessential rock lyrics. James Durbin has to be one of metals premier vocalists. CLEANBREAK, (me, tearing up) "you complete me".