Mates, I got love for de Glam Metal, stepchild of de Glam Rock and close cousin of de Power Metal, which I kinda dug for a while in my diaper days until ANTHRAX'S "Fist Full of Metal" spun my teenage taste for decades. Hell, I still ain't right. I do find myself listening to Glam on occasion if the playing is brilliant and the songs squared away fun and rockin', just like these nine cooking songs by Melbourne, Australia band CATALANO(2017) on their new release "Nightfighter." Fun fact about Melbourne: The city has the largest Greek population outside of Greece and a rocking street festival called the Antipodes Lonsdale Festival. Yasou ¡!

First track 'Livin' It Up' announces loud and proud that CATALANO has come to deliver for the destitute glam rockers, then coils and strikes into the heavy metal snakebite of 'Set This City On Fire'. An 80's synth-chorus guitar intro opens the song recalling dozens of big 80's rock acts. This sound was the new production effect used (and overused) in that decade produced with the novel and expensive Eventide effects unit, but here on 'Set This City On Fire' the effect isn't belabored. Restraint. Nice. Guitar studs Matt and Rory's go-to guitar tones are the big, beautiful bangin'-on-a-board Marshall Plexi essential timbers employed on their singing melodic leads, stinging riffs and fat rhythms all mixed on the nose. Guitar tones like these would be at home on a MERCYFUL FATE cut. These lads bring it like great shredders should with the Nick and Nick drums and bass rhythm section bracing the backbeat and low end proper.

'Nightfighter' is a rockin' tune. This could have been a lost cut from DOKKEN "Tooth and Nail" sessions with it's 'Into the Fire' vibe spreading the glammy goo. Roxxi's voice and singing style remind me a whole lot of Joe Elliot on these songs, a complement. Its hard to get over in the world of rock without a strong throat and innate vocal character, and Roxxi got it. 'Wildest Dreams' is a banger that should be pushing foxy tail around stripper poles all over Australasia by now, joining the CRUË, DANZIG and BUCK CHERRY on this sacred duty. My favorite tune on 'NIGHTFIGHTER', 'Saturday Night' goddamn brings a tear to my eye with lines like "Saturday Night and she's looking for a place to be, and I don't care if he stares cause she's waking up next to me." Its nice to know that having a strong schlong and knowing what to do with it still counts for something in the world of rock'n'roll. This song is super infectious and fun. Radio Man yo, listen up ¡!

Penultimate ditty 'Lost in Love' has a 'Bringin' on the Heartbreak' ventricular tingle and allows the lads to show their LEPPARD spots without going for the Full Mutt Lange, which is cool by me. Mutt is a legend but tosses candy bars when candy kisses would rock even better. The DEF LEPPARD tinged 'Overdrive' along with last track, super strong closer 'Rock the World' puts Roxxi out front with vocals in the Jizzy Pearl of LOVE/HATE vein, one of the few frontmen in rock that sings like his life depends on it. When Roxxi wails "now you gonna feel it", he means like now beyotch.

I like these lads. I would totally dig a co-headlining tour with CATALANO and Sweden's HOUSE OF SHAKIRA, a double layer cake of Glam Metal by accomplished players that love the music and do it up right. Listening to this release by CATALANO makes me happy - not VOLBEAT happy where I could beat me wee bicep flappers and float ignis fatuus down to the pub, but happy like I can sit at Hemingway's moveable feast of rock'n'roll love anywhere and everywhere, taking it with me for the rest of my life and invite all my friends along to party down. 'NIGHTFIGHTER' is a must listen if you like 80's and 90's Glam and if you are a rocker, give it a party spin anyhow. The lovely ladies will abide. Mad Respect for the Production by Voya Milutinovic at Cosmo Studios in Melbourne, Australia and the Mastering job by Mika Jussila at Finnvox in Helsinki, Finland for their excellent efforts on this release. Bang on job CATALANO ¡!

Where must we go ... we who wander this Rock and Roll Wasteland in search of our better selves? ... onward to the dani bandolier Spotify playlist of reviewed bands...

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/272H3UBARsuksY3BqU0CzP?si=JcTDjv1RQE-_y89Qc0cjfA