EP REVIEW:SKID ROW, RISE OF THE DAMNATION ARMY-UNITED WORLD REBELLION CHAPTER TWO

The second instalment in the United World Rebellion EP series, and without doubt, their best work in years.  Kicking off with We Are The Damned, it's a throwback to the Slave To The Grind days, a snarling anthem with attitude written all over it. Skid Row have never hid their punk influences, Give It The Gun, is a prime example of that.  A no nonsense hell raiser that is relentless from start to finish.

Catch Your Fall, the compulsory ballad, disappoints, especially after the bruising opening tracks.  I've never been a big fan of Skid Row ballads.  I never thought they looked comfortable, or believable, compared to the likes of their 80's counterparts, Bon Jovi or Cinderella.

Thankfully normality is resumed on Damnation Army, a full on metal rampage with Bolan's assaulting bass riff and Sabo & Hill playing like men possessed.  You've got to take your hat off to Johnny Sollinger, putting up with constant rumours of a reunion with original singer Sebastian Bach, he keeps his head down a delivers every time.  And on Zero Day, he sings with a menacing growl that is a match for anything his predecessor can do.

For bonus tracks, the boys do brave, but brilliant versions of Queen's Sheer Heart Attack and Aerosmith's Rats In The Cellar.  So if releasing quality EP's like this is the way we get new Skid Row music in the future,then bring it on.