By “Tampa Earl” Burton, Rock At Night Detroit
Music Review: The Midnight Devils’ album Never Beg For It-July 1, 2022
In life, everything is cyclical. In 2022, we’ve seen the 1980s make a resurgence, especially in the music. The Netflix series Stranger Things has brought back music from Kate Bush and Metallica, among others, and other Eighties bands have reemerged on the scene (Tears for Fears, anyone?). There are some things, however, that can capture the Eighties sound well without being derivative, and that’s where hard rockers The Midnight Devils come into the frame.
The Midnight Devils latest album, Never Beg for It, comes out of the gate with attitude aplenty, reminiscent of some of the 80s great hard rock acts. But there is an edge to The Midnight Devils’ work, something that gives a bit of crunch to the music created by the band. That is evident from the first track on the album, “Sound of Domination,” and it courses through the entirety of the disc.
Sam Spade does the heavy lifting for the band, taking on both bass and vocal responsibilities for the group, and he is assisted on the back end by drummer Jimmy Mess. The star of the show is in their guitarist, Sniper, who completely throws himself into every effort on Never Beg for It, whether it is a solo or just the simple chord work. Between this powerhouse trio, the seven tracks on Never Beg for It entertain the audience with a blistering attack of Eighties power rock.
It starts with the very first track on the album. “Sound of Domination” is an attacking track that captures an edgier sound than what some might expect. You can hear the influences from several legendary acts in hard rock history, but it isn’t something that goes overboard. The track “Squeeze Me Dry” encapsulates this factor, giving you the vibes of Van Halen while Sniper’s ripsaw guitar work blasts across the track.
While they might come off as a retro band, The Midnight Devils have brought their own style to the sounds that they pay homage to. The grittier, edgier sound is certainly an improvement, while keeping the same sleazy, down and dirty stylings that made the genre popular in the past. With Never Beg for It, The Midnight Devils have definitely given us something to party with, just like it’s 1985.
Track List:
01. Sound of Domination
02. Stay In Your Lane
03. Highway 69
04. Squeeze Me Dry
05. Crank Down
06. White Line Fever
07. Glitter Connection
08. Long Gone
09. The Trick
10. Party In The Back
11. Working For The Weekend
Band Members:
Sam “Spade” Morris – vocals, bass
Chris “Sniper” Hineline – guitar
Jimmy Mess – drums
Production:
Produced by Chip Z’Nuff
Mixed and mastered by Chris Steinmetz
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