Dimino
Old Habits Die Hard
Frontiers Music Srl
2015
I must say that I really never expected a Frank Dimino solo album, as precious little has been heard about the band since their reunion some fifteen years ago and death of bassist Mickey Jones a few years ago...
Dimino I suspect, has had these songs lying around for a while and he’s amassed a team of various mostly NY based musicians, even though these days he currently resides out, in Las Vegas, including Paul Crook (Meat Loaf), Oz Fox (Stryper), Eddie Ojeda (Twisted Sister), Danny Miranda (BOC,Queen+PR), Rickey Medlocke (Blackfoot, Lynyrd Skynyrd), Jeff Labansky a veteran of the NW music scene and even some of his Angel bandmates Punky Meadows and Barry Brandt.
If you remember Dimino from the Angel days, you might be slightly disappointed, you can tell it’s still him, but his voice is a bit strained, after all Angel’s debut came some thirty years ago, but all things considered he’s holding out well. Due to the nature of the songs, his overall style is less refined and more in tune with his performance on the Paul Raymond Project, (think something more akin to UFO or Legs Diamond really).
Overall “Old Habits Die Hard” isn’t half as bad… mostly up-tempo and hard-rocking, it rarely disappoints. There are several highlights... opener “Never Again” is pretty nasty and hard hitting as is the very 70s styled “Rocking in the City”.
“I Can’t Stop Loving You” is as endearing as some of Legs Diamond’s finest works (think “Woman” etc.) and while “The Rain’s About to Fall” might sound a little daft, it’s a fine example of boogie-rock.
“Even Now” is a soul wrenching semi-ballad, with a probably strained, but quite heartfelt performance by Frank. (I actually prefer the acoustic reprise at the end of the album that’s sung in a falsettized style, closer to how FD sounded in Angel-he’s not lost it – I must say).
“Tears Will Fall” is quite pessimistic and bleak sounding, but “Mad as Hell” that succeeds it, is a silly fast tempo, punky stomper, that completely wipes the floor with it.
“Sweet Sensation” relies too much on its simple dynamics, but doesn’t quite make a mark, riffy as it might be…
“Tonight’s the Night” is a pretty standard rock ‘n roller, but it’s not that bad, in its simplicity.
“The Quest” is some high-flying 70s epic rocker, that's actually pretty good... let me rephrase it one of the better songs on the album, but a little “outta place”... flow isn't exactly one of the greatest strengths of this collection of songs.
Last but not least is “Stones by the River”, an almost gospely and slightly bluesy rocker, that however doesn’t get too blue, more bittersweet than blue, I’d say…
The overall production ain’t bad, if not a bit weak, it feels and sounds as if this was recorded in the late 70s/early 80s, but it does sound authentic, I’ll give it that… if one forgives some rather strained vocals here and there, “Old Habits...” is actually a pretty decent affair.
Dimino I suspect, has had these songs lying around for a while and he’s amassed a team of various mostly NY based musicians, even though these days he currently resides out, in Las Vegas, including Paul Crook (Meat Loaf), Oz Fox (Stryper), Eddie Ojeda (Twisted Sister), Danny Miranda (BOC,Queen+PR), Rickey Medlocke (Blackfoot, Lynyrd Skynyrd), Jeff Labansky a veteran of the NW music scene and even some of his Angel bandmates Punky Meadows and Barry Brandt.
If you remember Dimino from the Angel days, you might be slightly disappointed, you can tell it’s still him, but his voice is a bit strained, after all Angel’s debut came some thirty years ago, but all things considered he’s holding out well. Due to the nature of the songs, his overall style is less refined and more in tune with his performance on the Paul Raymond Project, (think something more akin to UFO or Legs Diamond really).
Overall “Old Habits Die Hard” isn’t half as bad… mostly up-tempo and hard-rocking, it rarely disappoints. There are several highlights... opener “Never Again” is pretty nasty and hard hitting as is the very 70s styled “Rocking in the City”.
“I Can’t Stop Loving You” is as endearing as some of Legs Diamond’s finest works (think “Woman” etc.) and while “The Rain’s About to Fall” might sound a little daft, it’s a fine example of boogie-rock.
“Even Now” is a soul wrenching semi-ballad, with a probably strained, but quite heartfelt performance by Frank. (I actually prefer the acoustic reprise at the end of the album that’s sung in a falsettized style, closer to how FD sounded in Angel-he’s not lost it – I must say).
“Tears Will Fall” is quite pessimistic and bleak sounding, but “Mad as Hell” that succeeds it, is a silly fast tempo, punky stomper, that completely wipes the floor with it.
“Sweet Sensation” relies too much on its simple dynamics, but doesn’t quite make a mark, riffy as it might be…
“Tonight’s the Night” is a pretty standard rock ‘n roller, but it’s not that bad, in its simplicity.
“The Quest” is some high-flying 70s epic rocker, that's actually pretty good... let me rephrase it one of the better songs on the album, but a little “outta place”... flow isn't exactly one of the greatest strengths of this collection of songs.
Last but not least is “Stones by the River”, an almost gospely and slightly bluesy rocker, that however doesn’t get too blue, more bittersweet than blue, I’d say…
The overall production ain’t bad, if not a bit weak, it feels and sounds as if this was recorded in the late 70s/early 80s, but it does sound authentic, I’ll give it that… if one forgives some rather strained vocals here and there, “Old Habits...” is actually a pretty decent affair.