By Stephen Kasenda
COLD SWEAT "Break Out" (1990)
Cold Sweat was a major surprise to me when I first heard them years ago. Their only album, "Break Out" was released in 1990, a year when so many average bands were competing in the market. Fortunately, Marc Ferrari and the gang put out an extraordinary, classy album. Almost everything here deserves applause, from the gritty superior voice of Rory Cathey, the mind-boggling song composition, the killer shredding riffs of Ferrari and Gamans, and the balanced variety of musical styles.
"Four On The Floor" opens big with an up-tempo and cracking rhythm, a great verse, and a wonderful chorus. "Cryin' Shame" displays a bluesy attempt for the band, and a good one. "Waiting In Vain" is the mandatory ballad but this one is truly beautiful. "Take This Heart of Mine" and "Let's Make Love Tonight" are both sparkling commercial gems with punchy, sing-along choruses. Cold Sweat also explored some melodic heavy metal territory, just like the old days of Keel and Dokken, and it's portrayed in the tracks "Riviera / Long Way Down", "Fistful of Money", and "Jump The Gun".
Cold Sweat is totally underrated and they deserved a much better appraisal than what they got. If you're a big fan of glam, I don't think you should miss this one, and if you're a fan of traditional heavy metal, I’m still pretty sure the band has a lot to offer you as well. A superb release!
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