Back For More A Tribute To Ratt Review
Back For More
A Tribute To Ratt
FNA Records
2026
I've always had a love-hate relationship with tribute albums. Some absolutely nail the spirit of the artist they're celebrating, while others leave me wondering why they ever left the rehearsal room. Thankfully, today we're talking about one of the good ones.
FNA Records has unleashed “Back For More”, a tribute to the mighty Ratt and the label's fourth tribute release to date.
Let's be honest, you'd have a hard time throwing a rock without hitting someone who's at least heard "Round and Round." But for those of us who've lived and breathed Hard Rock since the glory days, Ratt is far more than a one-hit wonder. They're one of the defining bands of the Sunset Strip explosion. For me, “Out of the Cellar” will always be untouchable, with “Dancing Undercover” sitting comfortably beside it as another personal favorite.
I didn't spend much time digging around to see if anyone else has tackled a full-blown Ratt tribute before, so I'm going into this pretending it's the first. That's more fun anyway.
From the press material, it's obvious FNA assembled a seriously talented cast featuring musicians who've worked alongside members of BulletBoys, Danger Danger, Femme Fatale, Great White, and plenty of other Hard Rock royalty. Rather than getting bogged down in résumés, though, let's talk about what really matters. The music.
At eighteen tracks, “Back For More” could've easily overstayed its welcome. Tribute albums are funny like that, they're either over before you know it or they start feeling like homework halfway through. Thankfully, this one stays engaging from beginning to end.
One of the biggest wins is that FNA didn't simply stack the track list with radio staples. Sure, the hits are here, but so are several deep cuts that longtime fans have been championing for decades. Better still, the performances don't feel like carbon copies. Each artist injects just enough of their own personality without losing sight of what made the original songs great.
Matt Lemieux tears into "You're In Love" with an energy that borders on feral. I only knew him from Rocklanta and the occasional karaoke clip online, but he absolutely brings it here. Whoever's backing him deserves plenty of credit as well because they're playing like the meters are buried in the red.
One of the album's biggest surprises comes from Giancarlo Florida's gorgeous interpretation of "Giving Yourself Away." Stripped down to little more than piano and vocals, it becomes something completely different while remaining completely faithful to the emotion of the original. It's elegant, heartfelt, and honestly one of my favorite moments on the entire album.
Another standout arrives courtesy of New Jersey, who transform "One Step Away" into an AOR-leaning gem. Under normal circumstances, I might've been skeptical, but I've always had a soft spot for “Detonator” release, and this fresh approach won me over almost immediately.
Jim Crean absolutely shines on "Between the Eyes," one of the strongest deep cuts from “Invasion of Your Privacy”. His voice was made for this kind of material, and the musicians backing him knock it out of the park.
Speaking of deep cuts...
Torchlight Parade absolutely dumps gasoline all over "I'm Insane." That song has never received the respect it deserves, either from fans or, at times, the band itself. Here, it's loud, aggressive, and bursting with attitude. I’ll be checking out more from this band.
The same goes for Blu Vudu, whose version of "Shame" gets the album started exactly the way it should, with swagger and plenty of horsepower. Corners of Sanctuary also deserves praise for tackling the often overplayed "Lay It Down." Instead of simply copying Ratt, they make the song feel fresh enough to warrant another spin. Chris Laney's take on "What You Give Is What You Get" also hits all the right notes, with both his vocals and guitar work feeling completely at home.
Then there's the elephant in the room...
"Round and Round."
Whoever gets handed that song is automatically facing an impossible job. Everyone knows it. Everyone has an opinion. Thankfully, Aragon doesn't try to out-Ratt Ratt. They simply stomp on the gas pedal, crank up the aggression, and attack it with enough speed and attitude to make it their own. That's exactly the right approach.
I haven't mentioned every performance because I'd be here all day, but that's not meant as a slight. There really aren't any throwaway moments on this collection.
My only real criticism is the complete absence of tracks from “Reach for the Sky”. That surprised me. Even one song would've rounded out the band's catalog a little better. Whether it was a deep cut or something as obvious as "Way Cool Jr.". Still, that's a minor complaint.
As tribute albums go, “Back For More” gets far more right than wrong. It's assembled by people who clearly love Ratt, and that passion comes through in every performance. It isn't trying to replace the originals; it celebrates them while allowing each artist enough room to leave their own fingerprints behind.
For lifelong Ratt fans like me, this is an easy addition to the collection. Ratt 'n' Roll Forever!