Band:	Animal
Album:	Virus
Style:	Heavy metal
Release date:	2008
A review by:	Jeff

01. Cardiac Arrest
02. Can't Stop
03. Don't Wanna Die
04. Crying Eagle
05. Unnatural High
06. Judgement Day
07. Who's Next
08. Zombie [The Cranberries cover]
09. Shoot To Kill
10. L.U.S.T.

Animal is Randy Pipper's baby. You don't know him? Come on, I'm sure that you've already listened to him, not under his own name maybe but with Alice Cooper or W.A.S.P. Yes, Randy is a famous American guitarist and sometime he also releases albums with his own combo. The new one is called "Virus" and will probably be a likable album of American Heavy Metal for all the fans of the genre.

Ok so let's be honest first, we will not talk about, or just even search, any kind of originality in this release. As you can guess, Animal is one of those new but old school American Heavy Metal / Hard Rock combos which plays melodic and "FM" Metal. It doesn't mean that it's bad of course but if you were looking for something different, I'm afraid that you'll have to go away; "Virus" is classic as hell and not revolutionary. On the other hand, this release is really professional and the ten songs are good melodic stuff. If you like Bon Jovi and all these artists, I'm quite sure that you'll enjoy "Virus". The ballad and mellow song is featured in the album of course but fast and heavier tracks also compose the album. This is catchy and even if the band doesn't re-invent anything the songs are not so happy in general and we have some cool dark choruses. Sure I'm not talking about real dark Metal but this is not catchy to be catchy.

On the side of the musicians, we have nothing to say. Randy Piper is doing his job perfectly, without being at the center of the scene, and the other guys are really good too. The singer has an original hoarsy voice which gives a certain Hard Rock spirit to the compositions, this is a good point really. The production is perfect of course and I only regret that the album is finally a bit short with no more than 38 minutes of music. Also I won't talk about the "weird" cover which looks like the one of a Grindcore release? But all in all, without being new this is release has its good moments and if you're just looking for good music and nothing really deep, you'll like it.

"Virus" is in the category of the albums which will not stay at the top of the charts during a long time (if it can reach it, but that's another debate?) but nobody will say that it's rotten. This is just good classic US Heavy and if you like to listen to such kind of music, you can try to get this release; you'll not be disappointed nor take the blast of your life too of course.