PLACE CALLED RAGE
The band Place Called Rage was formed by four professional musicians who chose to record an album strictly for themselves based on similar musical preferences and appreciation for more than one musical style.
These four musicians are guitarist Al Pitrelli (Alice Cooper, Asia, Savatage, Trans-Siberia Orchestra, Megadeth); drummer Chuck Bonfonte (Michael Bolton, Saraya, Flesh & Blood, Morning Wood); bassist Danny Miranda (Blue Oyster Cult); and vocalist Tommy Farese (Gail Force, April Lawton, Trans-Siberian Orchestra).
According to Farese, they originally formed the band under the name Ethel Mertz, and played live whenever everyone was off the road. Now, under the Place Called Rage moniker, the band will release their debut album on their own label of the same name.
In the band's biography Cat Matheos states that to "come up with a description of what they sound like, one would have to have an encyclopedia list of past influences, and even then, you'll probably draw the same conclusion I did, it sounds like no one else, but them ...(PLACE CALLED RAGE)." Upon further review, it is easy to agree with that summation.
Their twelve-track display of blues inspired rock offers a classic sound driven by guitar and bold vocals reminiscent of bands like the Badlands, and more recently, the Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band. Though, surprisingly, the vocals of Farese (a New Yorker), can most easily be compared to the likes of David Coverdale (Whitesnake, Deep Purple, Coverdale/Page). And though it may be a stretch, a hint of a Rod Stewart comparison may be drawn, especially with the addition of keyboard contributions from Gary Corbet, Mark Mangold, and Pitrelli on the album with "Jenny Doesn't Live Here Anymore," being the most prominent.
Place Called Rage's debut album kicks off rockin' with one of the band's strongest songs, which they shockingly had actually planned to scratch from the album, "Know Where You've Been," and continues on with the title track, "Place Called Rage" which offers a funky guitar driven groove from Pitrelli. Other highlights include "What These Eyes Have Seen," which offers a Zeppelin vibe and "Chained to a Maniac" which is guaranteed to rock you hard and get your foot tapping.
