Alcatrazz “Prior Convictions”
Alcatrazz takes us back to the future on its new album.
“Prior Convictions” bridges Alcatrazz’s past and future. Of the eleven tracks on the album, two are brand new songs. “Transylvanian Requiem” is an instrumental piece showing off Joe Stump’s guitar wizardry, while “Stand and Wait Your Turn” is an excellent rocker of a song. These two new songs raise my expectations for the next studio album of new material.
The remainder of the album consists of new versions of old favourites, showcasing that this line-up can do the old material justice and create new music too. We get newly recorded versions of “Jet to Jet”, “Starcarr Lane”, “Hiroshima Mon Amour”, Island in the Sun”, “Too Young to Die, Too Drunk to Live”, “God Blessed Video”, “Skyfire”, “General Hospital” and “Kree Nakoorie” – all taken from the band’s first two albums, 1983’s “No Parole from Rock’n’Roll” and 1985’s “Disturbing the Peace”. The new versions are faithful to the originals but with some added oomph in the delivery and production. Those early Alcatrazz songs have a very ’80s sound. Here they are brought into 2025 but without denying their pastel-coloured roots.
Founded in 1983, this band is still relevant. I last saw them live in 2024 at the Skogsröjet festival in Sweden and they delivered. On this new album, they continue to demonstrate that they are worthy custodians of the band’s legacy and they are already marching into the future. The recording line-up consists of founding members Gary Shea on bass and Jimmy Waldo on keyboards, plus Joe Stump on guitar, Giles Lavery on vocals and Mark Benquechea on drums.
Alcatrazz’s new album “Prior Convictions” is out now via BraveWords Records.
https://www.alcatrazzofficial.com
