Album review: DENNIS CHURCHILL DRIES – I

AOR Heaven [Released 01.06.15]

Vocalist/bassist Dennis Churchill Dries (DCD) is known to lovers of melodic rock as the vocalist in White Sister and their successor band Tattoo Rodeo. White Sister issued two immense melodic rock/AOR albums in the 80′s and I was lucky enough to see them twice when they played the UK in the 1980′s.

The band reformed in 2008 for Firefest and a new album was on the cards, this sadly was not to be with the passing of the band’s guitarist Rick Chaddock in 2012. DCD withdrew from music until he met another melodic rock legend Paul Sabu and this album is the outcome of that partnership.

It is a mix of various musical styles, the nearest to those glory 80′s days is ‘Heard It On The Radio’ and for a proper blast of hard rock, ‘Unbroken’ is a great, upbeat song. You can tell Paul Sabu had a hand in this one, especially in the backing vocals.

The more mellower songs really shows DCD has not lost any of his vocal power, as the two versions of ‘Home’ show (the acoustic version just nudges it as my favourite!). Listening to ‘Pieces’, now that’s a spine tingling vocal with a heartfelt delivery. DCD’s voice backed by just a piano and backing vocals, sterling stuff.

This is a proper AOR/melodic rock album, written and sung from the heart, not a contrived project and let’s hope DCD returns to live action and continues to record. If you liked his previous bands and like melodic rock, simply buy this album. ****1/2

Review by Jason Ritchie

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