Stephen Five years after 'Army of One', RIOT returned with a new singer, Tony Moore, to replace the long-time shouter, Mike DiMeo, but sadly, like SHY, a great album was the last album for Mark Reale whom passed away recently after losing the battle to Crohn's disease. Production was handled by Bruno Ravel that's famous with DANGER DANGER which is surprising to me and I think Moore's vocal is quite superior on the upper range but DiMeo still won the normal range.

The first two tracks are absolutely stunning. 'Riot' is really heavy and fast-paced, the chorus is just perfect and 'Still Your Man' reminds me to IRON MAIDEN a lot. 'Crawling' is dark with chugging riffs, but overall a decent track. Good thing is that this is the only weak track here. 'Wings Are For Angels' is like the first tune, more power metal than the rest and among the best here. 'Fall Before Me' is a nice semi-ballad tune and 'Sins of The Father' blasted with a superb riffs.

What makes it interesting, when you think of the first half that's fully loaded with metal tracks, you can't expect that RIOT will play with hard rock tunes on the second half. 'Whiskey Man' and 'Believe' are two obvious examples and both are excellent tunes too. 'Echoes' is a good one, but not as strong as those two. The vocal harmonies are awesome and production is great, Ravel did a good job here. A strong album and without Reale, I'm not sure they can keep up the pace in the future, but good luck to them and hopefully they will stay strong on their game.

1967/ 1976 Riot... I see this bandin 1998 in Pordenone and immediately I love this band!!! Because I love this band? But because this band is pure dynamite... In fact, listening to "Inishmore" you can listen to an album with so much of that feeling, warmth and technique to take your breath away! Since I do not want to sound like one of those who want to feel superior without ifs and buts describe the songs one by one ... with the enthusiasm of a child!:

"Black Water" is a simple intro with Yoko Kayumi's violin solo. Interesting because with Irish folk parts.

"Angel Eyes": A great Power Metal/ Speed Metal/ Traditional Metal song with good technical solos, great chorus and great drums by the phenomenal Bobby Jarzombek present also a great guitar riffs by Mark reale and Mike Flintz. interesting is the vocal style by Mike DiMeo that recite as if he had studied at Actors Studio! In good substance this song is a great song for all who love music!

"Liberty": great Heavy Rock/ Traditional Metal/ Power Metal with great bass lines by Mike Flyntz and great chorus (backgroud vocals by Danny Vaughn, Tony Harnell, Mark Reale and Ligaya Perkins). Guitar riffs are made by a poetic feelings as the vocal parts, perfectly recite by Mike DiMeo. Interesting the folk feelings with high speed rhythms and complicate drums riffs.

"Kings Are Falling" is another great song, in my vision. Heavy Rock without compromise present great chorus and power in a pure rock structure. Easy song in studio version... Anthem in concert version (see the incredible "Shine On" live album from the same year). Great Blues riff guitar solo.

"The Man": Speed Heavy Rock song. This song is so full of evocative that seems to be driving a car launched like a bullet in a highway! (especially in the chorus). The solos are too similar to Proto Metal solos as the fact that present blues derivations. In a good substance this is a prototype of a great Power Metal song.

"Watching The Signs": intro Folk, similar to Gary Moore guitar riffs in style and subsequent development heavy rock in NWOBHM style but with evocative form... Too evocative! Folk power metal is the trademark of this song!

"Should I Run": Great Free Jazz metal intro (same intro for solo section) for this Speed Power Metal song with folk chorus in vocal lines arrangements. The second part of solo section is a pure Blackmore neoclassical style (if this song was penned by J.L. Turner and Blackmore... I could cry, now... But this song is penned by Flyntz and DiMeo...).

"Cry For The Dying" is a summary of other song for style but with more speed thrash attitude because aggressive. Also in this case great is the chorus and Bobby Jarzombek had to study his part very well because present really complicated moments.

"Turning The Hands Of Time": Not an easy song. This song present a long prog metal intro and a complicate prog heavy rock verses, heavy rock bridges, AOR flavored chorus and bluesy solos and all in a pure 24 charat heavy metal song for true pure progsters!

"Gypsy": Another folky speed traditional heavy metal with hard rock construction. Great chorus (but live is better), great guitar riffs and complicate heavy rock solos are the winning ingreadients of this song.

"Inishmore (Forsaken Heart)": Beautiful Irish folk song with synths and mandolin with good vocal parts. Interesting also the electric guitar parts.

"Inishmore": This song is the second part of "Inishmore (Forsaken Heart)" and with first part formed a twin song. This part is heavy rock folk part because with full band. Folk guitar riffs in a pure heavy metal/ power metal rhythms as the same time some parts (chorus?) are full Irish folk in heavy rock style(!). epic and too emotional is this song.

Hmmm... I think that this album deserve much respect. Not because so beautiful and technically perfect (special production) but because emotional and able to bewitch anyone, even those who hate the heavy metal. Basically here is present heavy metal and heavy rock in equal measure. As an album in 1998 I find that it is an album that could rewrite the history of our beloved music. Unfortunately this is only a dream. But if you love the pure emotions in music "Inishmore" is your album!