BLACK 'N BLUE — Without Love (review)

BLACK 'N BLUE — Without Love album cover Album · 1985 · Glam Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
2.5/5 ·
Nightfly
After a promising debut in 1984, an album at the heavier end of the glam rock spectrum, Black ‘N Blue returned the following year with Without Love. While still containing some strong material it ultimately remains a bit disappointing.

It’s clear that they had an eye on more commercial success as the music has a more lightweight feel. Gone is the more up tempo metal of the likes of Autoblast present on their debut, in its place are the more radio friendly hooks of Bombastic Plastic and the title track Without Love. It’s certainly better when in heavier territory like We Got The Fire and Swing Time which while still easily accessible benefits from the harder edge. Rockin’ On Heaven’s Door makes a decent anthemic opener but best of all is Stop The Lightning with a heavier darker sounding riff, at least until the verse treads more typical glam ground.

While not a total disaster by any means, Without Love remains the weakest of their four studio albums because of its step too far into more commercial realms, which though admittedly present on their debut were diluted, or should I say toughened up by some harder riffs and a few up tempo songs.
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