Rampant

About

Released: 1974 Producer: Roger Glover Nazareth's 1974 album Rampant finds the group tempering the four-on-the-floor hard rock attack they developed on Loud and Proud by working a surprising and effective Southern rock edge into the songs. The end result is an album that sounds like a crossbreeding of early AC/DC and Lynyrd Skynyrd at their hardest rocking. Some of the country-tinged highlights include Glad When You're Gone, a funny kissoff to an unwanted lover that pairs hillbilly-styled singing with wah-wah-drenched guitar riffs, and Jet Lag, a tongue-in-cheek look at life as a touring rock & roller that is driven by some. However, the finest song in this vein is the powerful opener Silver Dollar Forger ; this hard rocking tale of an outlaw racing home with the cops on his tail has a suprisingly elaborate arrangement and plenty of driving guitar riffs. It feels like the theme song to the great 1970s car chase movie that never was. Rampant also spawned a hit single and radio favorite with Shanghai'd in Shanghai, a pile-driving rocker that works an effective stomping beat into its shout-along chorus. The downside of this album is that it lacks the experimental edge of Razamanaz; there is little variation in the style or musical elements from song to song. That said, Rampant is a consistently energetic and engaging collection of Southern-tinged hard rock that will please Nazareth's fanbase and may even win over fans of groups like Lynyrd Skynyrd and Molly Hatchet with its effective grasp of Southern boogie.

via Last.fm

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