This album is the Heavy Metal Kids reunion album, with the original members except for vocalist Gary Holton, and the guitarists joining them are two young Italian guitarists. I was worried at first that there was no famous front man, but I needn't have been worried, as the album is full of great things.
Track 1 starts with great drumming from Keith reminding me of punk/new wave/pop style. It gives a strong impact into the HMK sound, with the focus on a dominant guitar solo. The chord change at the end is really good.
Track 2 has a similar type of groove with great pop vocal harmonies. Barusso plays the guitar solo on this, and also on Whisky, and A Hundred Skeletons - an aggressive sound.
Guarnerio plays with a more orthodox style, similar to original HMK guitarist Mickey Waller.
Track 3 is a high-tempo song. The guitar riff and Hammond organ sound reminds me of Deep Purple. This captures the mood of British hard rock from the 70s. The lyrics mention London Bridge and London Town so it has a very strong British imagery.
Track 4 starts with an elevator sound and is also the title track - Hit The Right Button.
The guitar sound reminds me of Rick Neilsen from Cheap Trick. Danny's Hammond organ gives it a real classic rock sound. It ends with the sound of an elevator door opening and then someone says 'Welcome' - giving a real sense of drama to the composition.
Track 5 is more like hard pop, a sound and style the HMK have always excelled at.
Track 6 and 7 are joined, and a real highlight of the album - a Latin feel with the acoustic guitar. The tempo suddenly increases and in my opinion this is the song I've been waiting for the HMK to come up with. Danny's keyboards reminds me of the original HMK sound and his vocals really suit this style of song.
Track 8 is a slow number, the soft guitar really makes you listen intently. The vocals and guitar solo are very good - Guarnerio's solo has a great focus in its phrasing.
Track 9 is almost like 80s pop, a real danceable number. HMK really utilise their sense of pop dynamics in this one.
Tracks 10 and 11 are a venture into new territory. The heavy guitar riff reminds me of the late 90s American rock trend. Perhaps this has been influenced by the two new young guitarists in the band. Even amongst this heavy sound you can hear the HMK's pop sense.
It's easy to listen to, even with the Jeff Beck feel to the guitar - but heavier. This track has a great vocal from Isabelle Le Mauff, a famous French vocalist. Track 11, A Hundred Skeletons, also has great bass and drums from Ronnie and Keith.
Track 12 - again the HMK's excel at this straight-ahead rocknroll style.
The last track is a ballad, and the vocals sound like a softer version of Steve Tyler. The last part has a Latin chant with someone screaming 'rocknroll' in the background. The screaming comes from 'Rock and Roll Man' intro fromt he 1st HMK album - so that's Gary's screams you are hearing. Danny said he wanted to do this as a tribute to Gary.
Overall the album has a straight rocknroll feeling, but it's not just a retro feel. There is something new in there, blended with the retro feel that works very well together. New and old fans alike will really enjoy this album. When you listen to this album you can tell that the HMK are serious about their reunion.
ROCK PRINCESS [HINE]
