LYNCH/PILSON "Wicked Underground"
by Dana Brittingham

Cover: 7 Lynch Mobs out of 10.
It's artsy and colorful. A lot of graffiti-type scribbles and doodles and all hues of the color wheel. How'd they come up with the name for this CD? Didn't Lynch Mob have an album called "Wicked Sensation?" Didn't Jeff Pilson have a project called "Underground Moon?" Coincidence? You decide. I'm lazy.

Booklet: 10 War & Peaces out of 10
It's only a 4-panel booklet! No lyrics at all and a very abridged credit list and a short thank-you blurb from both George and Jeff, as well as a photo of each on the back cover. There's also a photo of 2 little kids holding a bass and one of George's guitars. It's not the Mr. Scary guitar - that's propped up against an amp right next to one of the kids. So why does this booklet get a 10? Well, Metal Sludge is personally thanked by Jeff Pilson. He writes, "Metal Sludge - for endless laughs and entertainment." No problem Jeff. We aim to please. Actually, space is very limited with a 4-panel booklet, so to make room for anyone to be thanked is kind of a big deal. Even within those constraints, the booklet is really well designed. No bullshit and there's still a lot to look at.

Songs: 7 Dokkens out of 10
The opening track ("Breath & A Scream") is pretty good and has a totally modern feel to it. Some of the tunes are dark and moody and some are a bit more upbeat. No one ever said that Lynch couldn't play a mean groove, and he does on ever track on this CD. Some tunes sound like a Lynch Mob or something off of George Lynch's solo CD, and others have a more experimental/Beatlesque kind of vibe. Jeff Pilson's not too bad of a singer either. He doesn't sound like Don Dokken or anything. He's a melodic kind of singer and doesn't really scream or growl, but he's got an edge to his voice. Tracks that stood out the most to me are "Zero The End," "Beast In The Box" and "The Evil That You Are." If you were ever a Dokken or Lynch Mob fan, or just a fan of George's playing, then this disc is a must. The more casual fans may want to listen to some samples online first, but it's worth checking out.

Comments: The Lynch/Pilson project has been rumored to be in forthcoming for well over a year now and it's had all sorts of code names, with "Pynch" being most recent. George Lynch and Jeff Pilson perform everything on this little pet project of theirs except for drums, which are handled by Michael "Fro" Frowein. Who the fuck is that? Well, "Fro" also appears on the Lynch Mob "REvolution" CD and used to be in a band called Jet Red way back in the day. You remember Jet Red, don't you? Their self-titled debut on the Relativity label back in like '89 and their songs "Lolita," "Take Me Tonight" and "Bad As Heaven?" You know, they sounded kind of like Firehouse or Warrant? You remember them, right? Don't you? Hello?