Sleazeroxx.com
Angel is a late 70's hard rock glam band whose keyboard driven theatric rock most likely helped to create the 1980's glam rock scene. No doubt the Styx meets Led Zeppelin vibe of On Earth As In Heaven influenced many bands like Def Leppard, Poison and even Bon Jovi.
Formed in 1975, Angel featured a young Gregg Giuffria perfecting his keyboard mastery that would later serve him well in Giuffria and House Of Lords. Guitarist Punky Meadows showers the songs with tasteful 70's riffs but the leads are where he truly shines. Mickie Jones' bass work and drummer Barry Brandt are mirrored reflections of consistency while vocalist Frank DiMino rounds out this powerhouse group. Giuffria and DiMino serve the band well with two distinctive voices that are perfectly harmonized throughout the album.
On Earth As It Is In Heaven is actually the third album released by Angel, but has just recently been remastered. The album was produced by a young Eddie Kramer (of Kiss and Jimi Hendrix fame) and it is his production work which successfully creates a truly epic sound throughout the disc. One other important note on this band is that they were discovered by Gene Simmons of Kiss who went on to get them signed to the Casablanca label.
Stand out tracks on this album include "Cast The First Stone", which hammers along like any good Saxon song. These guys knew when to unleash that 70's space-jam feel and when to reel it in. "Telephone Exchange" and "Can You Feel It" are also stand out tracks that further enhance the larger than life glam rock of this arena bound band.
Fans of 70's hard rock bands should pick up On Earth As In Heaven as well as their entire library.
Reviewed by Bryan Martin, September 2008
HardRockHaven
Comments: The more major labels continue to release and radio continues to play untalented, unworthy and unpalatable Rock music, the more music connoisseurs or just fans in general look back over the decades and think, "Man, do you remember when music used to actually be worth listening to?" There has been an exponential amount of re-releases of late, and re-issue labels like Retrospect Records are finding pots of gold and an audience with hundreds of bands that almost made it in the 1980s. One such band that deserves your attention this time around if they didn't have it last time is Angel, and Lovember Records has reissued and remastered their watershed release, On Earth As It Is In Heaven, complete with an in depth band bio, song lyrics, and lead singer Frank DiMino's take on each song's history.
If you don't recall Angel, their roster boasted keyboardist extraordinaire Gregg Giuffria, who found greater fame with his own band Giuffria and of course the globally renowned House of Lords.
The classic CD begins with a song about boozin' and toasting life, called "Can You Feel It." The bombast from drummer Barry Brandt leads into an almost Zeppelin like groove, although Giuffria's keys sound closer to The Doobie Brothers. DiMino carries the song with lyrics about drinking ale and rum, asking you to drink to the past and to the future. In other words … just drink. His vocals are sharp, melodic and more polished than the music bands like Rainbow were making at that time. Punky Meadows guitar solo takes the song to a heavier level, before the keys soften the blow once again and the song fades out, sort of like drifting off to sleep in a blackout.
"Big Boy (Let's Do It Again)" is going to bring a lot of Zeppelin comparisons, musically and vocally. DiMino, while he can be somewhat gruff if he wants, nails the high notes with clarity and ease, again perhaps making you think of Robert Plant. He's just one of those eerily talented singers. The song is about a dame who likes to spread the wealth, and ends up getting gunned down with her lover because of it. While the song sounds happy and fun, well, it's also fairly dark.
"Telephone Exchange" is the first song where you understand how the band feels they should have been as big as Styx, Kansas, Boston, and the like. The acoustic beginning is meticulous, flowing, and DiMino's vocals could go toe to toe with any voice of the decade. It seems intricate, but it's really just one of those songs that "connect" with the listener, so it all easily makes sense. Giuffria plays a grand piano, adding majesty to the track, and you'll even hear some flute. Why this wasn't all over the airwaves as a Number 1 hit is anyone's guess.
One of the heavier songs is "On the Rocks," and it begins with the synth playing a prison siren. All in all, it's a track about porking the sheriff's daughter and getting caught. It's funny, with lyrics like, "I tried joking, I tried crying, I even asked to let me go home. He never listened … he just handed me a toothbrush and a comb."
"That Magic Touch" almost has an early Billy Joel's storytelling feel to it. This is Angel at their most radio-friendly, not even really Hard Rock but just Pop Rock. It's a fun romp, carefree and easy to sing along to.
Angel is stronger when they rock the house, so "Cast the First Stone" gets them back on track. With Giuffria's intricate keyboard leads and the accompanying guitar passages, you can almost hear Yngwie Malmsteen thinking "These guys are on to something!" The two instruments play off each other with speed and intricacy, and the whole song is just massive, clearly one of their best.
On Earth As It Is In Heaven closes with "Just A Dream," a keyboard-led construct that is as close to a ballad as you'll find on the release. It's really a mid-tempo rocker, highlighting extraordinary keys, spectacular drumming from Brandt, and DiMino touching on his upper range in a forlorn and yearning voice.
Once you give this a listen, you'll understand why the band is still confused as to why they weren't at the top of the charts or experienced multi-platinum successes. If KISS made it, how couldn't Angel? Still, Angel flaunted a strong following, were respected by their peers, and toured the world, so in the end, they lived the dream thousands of bands had to let die.
www.lovemberrecords.com
Track Listing:
1 Can You Feel It
2 She's A Mover
3 Big Boy (Let's Do It Again)
4 Telephone Exchange
5 White Lightning
6 On The Rocks
7 You're Not Fooling Me
8 That Magic Touch
9 Cast The First Stone
10 Just A Dream
Hardrock Haven rating: 8/10
Glam-Metal.com
During the late 70's, the Washington DC based glam rock band Angel was on the verge of superstardom. This was a great and highly competitive time in rock music with bands such as Kiss, Boston, Aerosmith , Styx and Queen all being in the prime of their careers. Angel had the looks, the chops, a great stage show and a major label pushing them in Casablanca records However, they were never able to break into the mainstream because they lacked that all important ground breaking major rock anthem.
Last August, Lovember Records re-issued the band's 1977 lost classic "On Earth as it is In Heaven." This was the band's third release and a bit of a departure from their previous two releases in that it was more commercial and less progressive sounding. This Record was produced by legendary producer Eddie Kramer. The band which consisted of Punky Meadows (Guitar), Mickie Jones (Bass), Gregg Giuffria (Keyboards), Barry Brandt (Drums), and Frank DiMino (Vocals), delivered a ten track hard rockin' release that was infused with infectious songs killer riffs and typical 70's synth. Make no doubt about, this definitely sounds like a typical hard rock 70's record. And that's a very good thing.
The lead off track "Can You Feel It" and "On the Rocks" are powerful hard driving tunes. " You're not Fooling Me" is an impressive epic song featuring some Brian May like leads compliments of Punky Meadows. "That Magic Touch" has a progressive taste in the flavor of Yes provided by Greg Giuffria. "White Lightning" is an anthem like hard rocker. The closer "Just a Dream" could have fit in nicely on a Styx record. But still lacking on this album was that elusive song that could rock the charts and send millions of new fans to the record stores.
After this record, Angel would release two more studio albums and a live record as well, but still failed to achieve their quest for commercial success. This classic line-up of Angel broke up in the early 80's. Today Angel exists with only original members Frank DiMino, Barry Brandt still in the band.
Angel could have easily been disregarded as nothing more than a poseur band based solely on image, and maybe in some cases they were. But there is much musical substance to this band. If you are a fan of 70's rock, or would just like to hear some real glam-rock, you should consider adding this to your collection. With the added linear notes and re-mastered sound it is a nice reminder of the greatest era in rock history.
Review by Thomas S. Orwat Jr.
Rating out of 10: 8.5
