LA metal shredders Alcatrazz bring the heat again on Take No Prisoners.

Alcatrazz put out three albums in rapid succession in the mid-1980s, then went on hiatus for twenty years. Those records were good, but their latest reformation, which began in 2019, has the band producing even better music. Born Innocent came out in 2020, then the very next year there was V, and now there is another new studio record, Take No Prisoners. Let’s hope that this time history does not repeat itself and they stay together for many more years. The band is Jimmy Waldo (keys), Gary Shea (bass), Doogie White (vocals), Joe Stump (guitar), and Larry Paterson (drums).

The album gets going with “Little Viper,” a raucous, fast-moving number with a great guitar attack and vocals that really dig in. It is a little bit like sped-up Deep Purple that leans in the Dio direction, cast in a nineties metal shape, with modern percussion. It has a ripping lead guitar break, too. This should be getting radio (and playlist) play. Excellent. “Don’t Get Mad…Get Even” comes next, and it is a bit pithier with catchy licks and a surprisingly melancholy lead passage that evolves into an active and radical tear. “Battlelines,” rolls in with a heavy chop and a clinical narrative. Another strong song. On the basis of the first three tracks, this album is definitely worth a listen.

The entire set is filled with solid riffs and structures, and a seemingly endless variety of shreds. Look to “Gates Of Destiny” for a grand story and epic delivery. The namesake track “Alcatrazz” is bewildering (my favorite on the album), and the final song, “Bring On The Rawk,” seals the deal. I like this album even better than 2021’s V. I have to see these guys live. Recommended.

Take No Prisoners is out on Friday, May 19^th through Silver Ling Music. Follow up at the links below.

Links.

Band website, http://www.alcatrazzofficial.com/

Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/alcatrazzband

Silver Lining Music, http://sl-music.net/en/

© Wayne Edwards