Whilst I like my heavy stuff, not least NWOBHM of course, I don’t mind a spot of classy melodic rock. Rocky Road by Bite the Bullet certainly squarely hits the spot as that classy melodic stuff.
The band goes back to the mid-1980s with a self-titled debut album appearing in 1989. That album was well received though things took a dive with the record company going belly up and a tour as support to ELO falling through. And that was that for Bite the Bullet – or was it…..
A few years ago Rock Candy Records re-issued the debut which in turn pre-empted Bite the Bullet to reform with two new albums in 2021 and also last year. Now we have a third, Rocky Road via Escape Music. It’s a limited edition of 1,000 numbered CDs.
Rocky Road comprises of eleven tracks of enjoyable, really well written and performed AOR/melodic rock. For comparison purposes I’d say along the lines of FM or Foreigner circa Inside Information or Agent Provocateur.
There is an ‘80s feel to proceedings when the keys come to the fore and it all sounds fresh. A good mixture of nice punchy melodic rockers with big hooks and melodies amongst a few chilled out ballads.
The first five tracks are melodic with some bit and nicely punchy. For example the opener, Dead Man Walking pumps along in an understated brooding, atmospheric way. Digging that Hole and Call of the Wild both have the monster hooks and catchy choruses with some tasty lead work then My Frankenstein comes in as a chunky rocker driven along by a thumping bass line. Have a listen to that:
As for the ballads – Atlantic Highway and Waiting for You slot in nicely midway through before it’s back to the big melodic rock of Sleeping Dogs, Rock Road and the very catchy closer of Ironstone.
An excellent album of hardish yet polished melodic rock/AOR with a nod back to the 1980s. Plenty to like here on Rocky Road.
As I mentioned at the start of the post, it is a limited edition of 1,000 numbered CDs. Check out Escape Music to order one if any left.
http://www.escape-music.com/
The label do a lot of good stuff like this. Recently they’ve given us The Flood, Ousey Mann, Gabrielle De Val, the Stonebolt re-issue and others. Bite the Bullet’s Rocky Road a most welcome addition to the label’s offerings.