To record an album made of covers is common today, but what such format can offer to the fans? It can be said as radiography of the band's musical core, because one can check the influences of it without having to making effort by the ears to recognize them. And some bands really have an ample range of influences, and to gather them together can be hard sometimes. But the North American quartet SOIL does such thing in a very good way, as can be heard on "Play It Forward".

They band were gathered on 1997, so maybe this release is a commemoration to the 25th birthday. Their musical work can be said as a form of greasy and energetic form of Rock 'n Roll mixed with Hard Rock influences, with something of Alternative Rock appearing and even touches of Groove/Southern Rock. Their music is pretty good, and these 11 songs are all version of some known songs and musicians, but all of them showing the quartet's personality on their lectures on them. It's abrasive, organic and full of energy in a way that can astonish many fans. The production did a fine work on the building of the sonority of the album, because it's rough and organic, full of a 'greasy' feeling. But the outfit is really defined, done with care, in a way that anyone can clearly understand what the band is playing and expressing in the songs.

As said above, it's an album of version of the quartet for bands that influenced their work, so nothing is really new. But the band lectures for "Runnin' Down a Dream" (that keeps it's Hard 'n' Roll essence but filled with weight and aggressiveness, with excellent guitar riffs and solo), "Nightmare" (the abrasiveness of their musical work is presented, even on a song that has a silk outfit, and what oppressive playing of bass guitar and drums), "No Voices in the Sky" (a filthy and catchy Hard Rock filled with energy, and it's very good to hear such version of this MOTÖRHEAD's song), "Snap Your Fingers, Snap Your Neck" (this old hymn of PRONG is really amazing here, with bass guitar in evidence, but with sharp nasty vocals filling the melodic lines), "Monkey Wrench" (an accessible and frantic Rock 'n' Roll that keeps the original features, but filled with the quartet's personality), "I Wanna Be Sedated" (this version of this old classic of RAMONES is amazing, bearing a weight and aggressiveness that isn't found on the original), "Rockin' in the Free World" (Neil Young would be proud of this one for sure), and "Unsung" (of HELMET, here in a version that respects a lot the original traits of the song, but filling it with an abrasive and groovy weight) are the best ones to begin with.

This homage that SOIL pays for their favorite bands and songs is really worthy of being heard and appreciated by their fans and anyone who has a good musical taste. Listen to "Play It Forward" and check it out for yourself!