THE DRAGONS
Rock N Roll Kamikaze (Gearhead)
Reviewed by DJ Johnson

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To the world at large, The Dragons seemed to come out of nowhere in mid-2003 with the outstanding Sin Salvation, but in truth that was the San Diego band's sixth album. Head Dragon Mario Escovedo (guitar/vocals) and the boys turned in a typically gritty performance of high volume punk rock, the kind that emphasizes "rock" in the best ways, and thanks in large part to their new label, Gearhead Records, they finally had the distribution they deserved.

That worked out fine, but there was something bugging Mario and the boys, something that felt like unfinished business.

Rock N Roll Kamikaze, released two years earlier, was the album the band expected to put them on the map, and it was good enough to do just that and probably would have, had the label, Junk Records, not gone tits up right as the record came out and needed the label alive and pushing. To make matters worse, the tour for the album, already in doubt because of the label situation, was due to start just after September 11th, 2001. Some guys have all the luck, huh?

Now Gearhead has re-released Rock N Roll Kamikaze, allowing the band a second swing at a very good thing. Not one to waste an opportunity, Escovedo took the time to remix the album and make it even hotter than it was the first time around. So now the 2001 release becomes the followup to 2003's Sin Salvation, and if the fabric of time isn't tearing, your speaker cones might be. This is a well deserved second chance.

© 2004 - DJ Johnson