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Fozzy > Fozzy > Reviews
Fozzy - Fozzy

Waka Waka Waka!!! - 83%

hells_unicorn, November 13th, 2020
Written based on this version: 2000, CD, Palm Pictures (Slipcase)

The 90s are largely remembered as a bad time for traditional heavy metal on the western side of the Atlantic, but as the decade drew to a close, things were starting to look up a bit. Though the upcoming millennium would see a massive resurgence of power metal in Europe, the revival that came about in America was far more understated and localized, with labels such as Spitfire Records coming to the assistance of 80s icons such as Dio, Crimson Glory and Raven in reclaiming some of their lost glory in the United States. It was during this time that something rather unexpected happened, namely the creation of what many viewed as a joke band by popular WWE (then WWF) superstar Chris Jericho and longtime prognosticator of rap metal via his project Stuck Mojo Rich Ward. Some were skeptical at the time, and greater hopes were being placed in the success of Iron Maiden's triumphant reunion effort Brave New World, but for whatever purpose was original behind the creation of the rather comically named heavy metal band Fozzy, the musical result proved quite compelling.

The eponymous debut that graced the store shelves in the fall of 2000 is presented in a straightforward fashion, forsaking any sense of pretense for a very plain cover art. The vast majority of its contents consist of cover songs, culminating in a literal who is who of influential 80s heavy metal bands. It displays a level of consistency and flow that is highly comparable to a number of notable tribute albums that were floating around during the same era, such as the Dio tribute album Awaken The Demon (featuring such noted underground 90s heavy metal acts as Imagika, Steel Prophet and Ion Vein) and the Iron Maiden 1998 tribute album A Call To Irons, save with a singular personality driving things. For his part, Jericho proves to be a highly impressive vocalist, matching the grit of Ronnie James Dio on the rendition of "Stand Up And Shout" and the glass-shattering high range of Halford on "Riding On The Wind". When combined with a solid and technically proficient musical backdrop that features plenty of flashy guitar solos and enough crunch to put justify the heavy half of their adopted style, it's a thrilling ride from start to finish.

The highlight moments found on here are naturally contained within the majority collection of cover songs, but more interestingly is how the band builds a composite identity out of the bands being covered and applies it to the original songs that are otherwise just along for the ride. The hook-heavy grooving rocker "End Of Days" features a principle riff that's pretty close to the one featured on Iron Maiden's "Stranger In A Strange Land", and the harmonized guitar backdrop also hints at a pretty strong Maiden influence, but a smattering of contemporary influences from the mid-90s groove metal sound, a chorus hook that has more of a Krokus fanfare flavor and a more Dio-infused vocal performance makes the song sound almost nothing like a typical Maiden emulation. Likewise, the sing-along romp "Feel The Burn" is more in line with the late 90s sound of Motley Crue rather than the vintage NWOBHM-inspired riffing character of "Live Wire", which is also covered on this album quite proficiently. Naturally these songs come off as a bit immature and pale in comparison to the cover work on here, but it shows the beginnings of what would become a more serious venture.

Say what one might have said about the band name and the in-your-face retro 80s look that the band unashamedly trotted out back when Steel Panther went by the name Metal Shop and wasn't known outside of the Sunset Strip, there is a certified metallic credibility to this album and the performances contained within that still holds up 20 years later. Whether it be the modernized take on Krokus' AC/DC inspired banger "Eat The Rich", the inventive re-imagining of Iron Maiden's "The Prisoner" that results in a denser guitar arrangement, or the high-impact edge of "Stand Up And Shout" and "Riding On The Wind", this outfit captures the spirit of the originals and translates them into something more in line with where metal was circa 2000. It's an impressive starting point for a band that has continued to put out studio material on a regular basis up until the present, and it's instructive for any who wonder how the band developed their sound into the more original song-focused format that has defined their most recent output. It's good old fashioned heavy metal in a time when it wasn't quite fashionable to play it, and one could argue that this album played some part in its becoming fashionable again.

The Fozz Strikes - 80%

MEGANICK89, May 3rd, 2009

Fozzy is the brainchild of Chris Jericho and guitarist Rich Ward. Now while it may be risky for a professional wrestler to make a metal album mostly filled with covers from artists with highly regarded vocalists, Chris Jericho does a nice job on these songs and goes on to be a very solid release for the band.

Most of the covers found on here stay true to the original without much variation, but they are plenty nice to hear with an "updated" sound and crunchier riff playing adding more depth to the songs. "Stand Up and Shout" is filled with the energy and explosiveness as the original Dio classic with Jericho having a slightly impressive performance. After the "Stay Hungry" cover, it is evident that Jericho is staying within himself not trying to outdo his vocal range and embarrass himself.

One of the better covers presented and one that might possibly be better than the original is the Iron Maiden song "The Prisoner." Now it may sound blasphemous and utterly insane to suggest that a cover of a Maiden song is better than the original version itself, but the evidence is there to suggest it. Fozzy breathes new life into the song and the beginning part with the drum beat leading into the guitar part is richer than its counterpart and mid-section with the solo is fuller and is in more of an attack mode than the original.

There are two tracks on here written by the band themselves and those are "End of Days" and "Feel the Burn." The former sounds a bit like power metal song and goes for that epic feel except it really is not that long of a song. It is good, but nothing to brag about. The latter song "Feel the Burn" is the most modern sounding song here with a muffled vocal part breaking out into a normal voice into the verse and then it has an incredible hook in the chorus. The only downfall is that it becomes way repetitive in the late stages of the song.

After all is said and done, Chris Jericho proves he can go from the ring and into the studio as this is a solid, very good record. It would have been nice if there were some more original songs by the band, but the covers are all well done with none of them being butchered and are all enjoyable with even a few being better than the originals. This is straight up heavy metal and a good forty minutes of action.

A Dropkick Soundtrack? - 75%

Flamos, October 24th, 2008

A pro wrestler singing in a metal band? A horrible gimmick this is not, because this is actually acceptable. This is mostly a cover album; all but two of the songs are covers. Chris Jericho (a.k.a. Moongoose McQueen) has some interesting vocals; they’re actually quite impressive. He can hit all the notes with precision, which many of you may be surprised, as I was. Twisted Sister’s “Stay Hungry” is an honorable mention. This is greatly performed by Jericho and the band. They stay true to the original titles here, which is good. In fact, “The Prisoner” is better than Iron Maiden’s original if you ask me, and it’s not just because the production is better. I’m not taking anything from Maiden, but the song itself isn’t very interesting, Fozzy adds a little more fun and energy, which you can defiantly tell from the intro. The rest of the covers are just there, they don’t add much more to them. They’re good; don’t get me wrong there, but their nothing special. Overall, some great covers here.

The two songs actually written by Fozzy are very good. “End of Days” begins with a cool riff, and I’m impressed with the vocals. They lyrics are a little cheesy, but not to bad to ruin it. “Feel the Burn” is much better with some sweet vocal effects and good drumming. I wish there were a few more originals on here, because they have the talent to actually write it.

Overall, this is surprisingly good and shows how much promise this band has. The negatives being the fact that there are only two originals on here, and the rest are covers. Which can be come tiresome. Only two of the covers are somewhat more interesting than their predecessors. A good listen overall, check it out.