Stephen Skill In Veins was among the European glam acts that's responsible for bringing back the Hollywood glam flavor alive. Their eponymous debut was mixing in the hard-edge of glam that's portrayed in Skid Row's "Slave To The Grind", the sleaziness attitude of Guns N' Roses, the crunchy feel of Lynch Mob, and even a bit thrashy bite of Metallica. Gabriele Gozzi is also a talented singer, his vocal is a rough blend of Sebastian Bach and Axl Rose. Under the hand of Alessandro Del Vecchio, Skill In Veins enjoyed a polished production but still got the raw touch usually found in the early hard rock movement.

"Can't Ride My Soul" and "Skulls On The Way" make a sensational start. The uptempo roaring rhythm guaranteed to shake your head and bones. Gozzi’s intimidating vocal and Lanza's thick and blazing distortion are definitely the highlights. "Youth Times" doesn't hold off the momentum, the band keeps going strong until they slow down a bit with "I'm Living My Life", still a nice and beautiful power ballad they got there. Another fave of mine is "The Way Out", "Don't Need You To Cry", and "We Don't Believe In Fables".

While the album was lookin' untainted, actually there are several weak and decent tracks that are pulling the score down. "Sick Mind", a good modern-thrashy tune but something big is missing on that track. "Just One Drink" puts them into bluesy mood but somehow the composition is a bit boring and a shame that might be their weakest track. Overall, I guess Skill In Veins has done an amazing job, the future is bright, and hopefully this could be the firm stepping stone for a better release later on.