Kidd Robin - The Inevitable Return Of The Dinosaur Monster


Year of Release: 1997
Label: BYUS Digilogical Harmelodies
Catalog Number: n/a
Format: CD
Total Time: 58:00:00

I am NOT kidding ... this is the title of this disc that I have been wanting to check out for months ... I won't say who recommended this disc to me, or what their description of it was when I first started hunting it down, but let's just say that if I used the same tactics on you that were used on me to get me interested in this disc, you would disown me in a heartbeat ...

If you are like me, you are tired of hearing, "sounds like Queesnryche", "Fates Warning style," "DT style" when someone describes a disc to you ... I mean, its ok if those bands are used in a comparison for basis of sound, but it really gets to me when they use the descriptor and it doesn't sound anything like the band ... Let's face it, the big 3 are the ones we always use when we talk about sound comparison, but I would like it once in awhile when the band at hand actually does have some resemblance to one of the big 3 ... ok, enough ranting ...

I was told that this band had a lot Queensryche influence in them, and I can't say where this comes from, except maybe the singer, who slightly resembles Geoff Tate in his very lower range ... and thats it ... so if anyone ever tells you that Kidd Robin is QR influenced, its BS ...

Unbeknownst to me, this is actually a Christian Metal band ... and they appear to be from Oregon ... maybe the region close by to Seattle prompted the similarities ... :O) This band either cannot, or does not take themselves too seriously... from the title, to the CD cover artwork, depicting a boy in a knight uniform, getting ready to do battle with a green monster about to apeear from inside what looks like a large tin can, it is hard to get a feel for what is to come inside of the music ... the band does not list any of their names ... instead, the credits look like this:

The singer / vocals, bass, keys
The guitarist / guitars, vocals
The bass player / bass, vocals

You get the idea ... no addresses, no label info, no nothing ... just a weird title, a weird cover, a weird insert with all the lyrics on ONE page ... bummed out yet?? Lets go inside to the music ...

THE STYLE:

The only way for me to describe this is basically [to say] some pretty laid back 80's style melodic metal, not unlike some of the mellower, laid back X-tian metal bands of that era ... not as preachy or cheesy as Stryper, but nowhere near the heaviness or class of a Sacred Warrior ..... I guess this is what Dokken would sound like at some point in their infancy without adding any punch to their music ... I will have to say this, Kidd Robin's music is VERY melodic, and I liken it to an AOR X-tian band that was getting ready to have their disc released to a X-tian radio station if there were such a thing ... there is nothing earth shattering about the music, its just very melodic, happy, hard rock / metal ... maybe one song kicked in a bit that made it sound like metal, but that was it ... They do have some pretty good cheesy ballads, and I have to admit that these were extremely beautiful ... but then, when was the last time you heard a bad X-tian metal ballad???

THE PRODUCTION:

Excellent ... for an indy, this is a superb recording ... every instrument is clearly heard, the vocals are right out front and every word he sings is clearly understood ... the acoustic guitar passages and piano passages are a treat for your system to show off ... It amazes me that bands with this little notariety can put out such a good recording like this ... they do credit Tom Hall as the producer, and it seems as though I have heard that name somewhere ... in any case, the guy has a great, clean ear for recording music ... this is pristine...

THE BAND:

Bass (also the singer), 2 guitars, drums ... typical melodic metal setup, with no instrument striking me as a standout ...

THE VOCALS:

This is THE only shining point of this disc ... and probably where someone got the idea that this band is influenced by Queensryche ... this guy is VERY good, probably sounding like the singer from Pavlov's Dog when he goes high, and sometimes sounding like Geoff Tate in his lower range ... in his normal range, he has a very pleasant, clear voice and he is very good at what he does ... the problem is, he is wasted in this band ... this guy needs to front a serious metal band, regardless of the genre ... the guy sings very well, and its a shame to think that this will be the only disc he will ever record and be heard on ... I can picture this guy (whatever his name is) fronting several bands ... a waste ...

THE COMMENTS:

While this is not a BAD disc, it is just a bit boring ... I was expecting a lot more from these guys, and was hoping that this might be a band that needs some attention ... even if this was the case, they don't give any information as to who they are, so even then if the disc was great, we couldn't even find these guys ... I would put this disc in the hands of a person that enjoys listening to AOR music, on a par with Whitecross in particular ... what is interesting, is that the disc contains 16 tracks, most of which run from 3 - 4 minutes in length, so you know the market these guys are trying to reach ...

Silly me, I have 2 copies of this disc, for the rarity of it ... :O(


Tracklisting:
Not Falling / Prelude In E Major / Be There / What Now? / Questions / Go / Sidewalk Cowboy / Blood Red / Never Stop / Lost / Reprise / A Little Bit Of Something / Emotions / How Long? / Flannel Shirt / Rokkin'

Musicians:


Discography:
The Inevitable Return of the Dinosaur Monster

Genre: Melodic Metal

Origin OR

Added: July 25th 1999
Reviewer: Larry "LarryD" Daglieri

Hits: 2553
Language: english

  

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