By Stephen Kasenda
VAIN “Enough Rope” (2011)
Vain has always been considered a second-rate glam act but they have more talent than what appears on the outside. Davy hasn't left the building since their late-coming, “No Respect” (1989), which is hailed by many as one of the most underrated records of the 80s. Vain has also split opinions, mainly because some people just can't stand Davy's nasal and whiny singing style, but the dark vibe and his enigmatic charm on “No Respect” underlines how great that album is.
“Enough Rope” tries to bring back that feeling and in my opinion, it's a superb come back that successfully takes you back to their prime era. Not only is Davy's vocal still as strong as ever, but the whole album is comparable to “No Respect”. The difference is “Enough Rope” leans more on the hard rock/heavy metal side while the debut sounds sleazier - but the songs are solid on both albums.
“Greener” is an awesome start and the chorus is totally addictive. “Triple X” is a heavy metal monster with a splendid display of riffs. The perfect track here along with the title track and “Vain”. Rumor has it that around 4-5 songs were actually taken from old demos while I suspect maybe at least 5-6 songs, and that's why the vibe is so similar. “Cindy's” intro riff reminds me of Maiden's “Wasted Years”- a good song anyway!
“Treasure Girl” is an awesome acoustical ballad, “Distance of Love” has that creepy feeling that Vain has on the debut. “Worship You” is similar to “Beat The Bullet” and definitely serves as a perfect closer. The production is great, especially when considering it's an indie album. It's hard to pick which one is better, but many will choose “No Respect” only because they've played it more than 1000 times. In the end, I might prefer “Enough Rope” a bit better. A superior release that has climbed to my top 5 of 2011!
Read more of Stephen’s features at MetalMusicArchives.
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