BLACK MAMBA has been together since 2017.  The Italian Rock band has two albums to its credit so far, 2017's "Heritage" and "Black Mamba II," which was released earlier this month. Their sound falls solidly into the Rock and Hard Rock categories with many songs resembling those written during the late 1970s and early 1980s.

"Duck Surprise" is an excellent intro track. It has a great deal of energy with a bit of heaviness thrown in to prevent things from getting too light. No vocals to mention here, but the track really doesn't need them since it speaks quite well for itself. It's a terrific instrumental that will not disappoint. "Over A Thousand Times" has a faster-pace which gives it an engaging presence. The vocals are loud, clear and direct. They're a perfect contrast to the backing music which is brooding and moody. I really appreciate the song because it sounds like several which were popular during the days when bands took the direct, no-nonsense approach to songwriting. It more or less lets the audience know that band is there to rock, not make them think about deeper subjects. "Natural Born Disaster" has a bit of a RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS vibe to it. The vocals are interesting, ranging in style from Funk to straight forward Hard Rock. A strong bass presence gives the song a definitive "funkadelic" quality that can't be denied. The track is a nice little surprise from a band that clearly knows what its doing. "Night Flights" has a different tempo and sound compared to the previous songs.  It has a Classic Rock attitude with harmonies that sound as if they were recorded during the late '70s. The backing music echoes that sound and spirit, resembling hits from the days when Classic Rock was at its best. It's a highly enjoyable track, especially for anyone seeking a retro experience. "Watch Me When I Fall" is another surprise with a distinctly mid-80s presence with regard to style as well as sound. The vocals are very impressive as they show a lot of strength as well as range. The music itself is lively with enough attitude to make it convincing. It's not at all what I expected, but I honestly like it a lot.

"Monsters" has a somewhat more strident quality versus the previous tracks, but not in a negative way. It's hard-edged with a sound to match. It's not one of my favorites, but it's not bad, either. "Detroit Rock City" is a cover of the KISS classic. The vocals are slower paced than those from the original, and the harmonies are different as well. Otherwise the music stays true to the earlier version with very little changes made at all. I'm not sure how KISS fans will react, but I think the track is pretty good. It's a little different, yet it works. "Your Gift To Me" is great from the start. It's a "revenge anthem" of sorts that gets your attention and won't let go. I feel like I'm finally hearing the band as they really sound. There's a level of passion within the track that was missing before. The sinister undertone and anger lying just beneath the surface truly sell the song. If you're a fan of songs about relationships that didn't quite work then you'll appreciate this one. "High Class In Borrowed Shoes" is a blues-influenced rocker that has a Southern Rock sound to it. I'm surprised by the range of styles of rock that band can play. It's always nice to run across versatile musicians, even more so when you've nearly convinced yourself that there's no such thing these days. The two final songs, "Warrior I," and "Warrior II" are not bad, but they didn't seem like they belonged on the album. The tone, pace and style are quite different compared to the other tracks, making it seem as if both songs might have been added as an afterthought. It would've made more sense to use them on a new album instead.

"Black Mamba II" is a good album with plenty of decent music to keep most Rock fans quite content. I will definitely recommend it. It's not perfect, but it's still one of the better Rock albums I've heard in a while.