Joe Stump's Tower Of Babel Days Of Thunder Review
Having grown up knee-deep in the prime of Hard Rock and Heavy Metal, it takes more than a flashy riff or overproduced breakdown to knock me sideways. These days, I’m nearly impossible to impress. Not because I’m jaded, okay, maybe a little, but because I’ve seen the gods at work. And now, with the way things are going, it feels like Hard Rock is getting bulldozed by sonic overkill, all scream, no soul. It’s all bark and no blues. So, when something unapologetically pure drops into my inbox, it feels less like nostalgia and more like salvation.
Joe Stump, the six-string samurai himself, is back, armed and dangerous with his latest slab of molten steel under the banner of Joe Stump’s Tower of Babel. The record is entitled “Days of Thunder”. Don’t get cute thinking it’s about NASCAR, this ain’t no Tom Cruise vanity project. This is an open love letter to the gods of Hard Rock’s golden age, a full-throttle dive into the same thunderous waters that birthed Rainbow, Deep Purple, and Alcatrazz. Hell, I even caught a few Manowar fumes wafting through the speakers. That could be my own head talking, but I’m willing to die on that hill.
Stump doesn’t need to prove a damn thing. The man’s been out here shredding faces and melting fretboards since half the current scene was still in diapers. “Days Of Thunder” isn’t some sad victory lap, it’s a declaration. A statement that says, “I’m still here, I still give a shit, and I can still outplay half the clowns with signature guitar lines.”
Now let’s talk about this band, stacked with players who may not be household names, but holy hell do they play like it. Special shout to vocalist Jo Amore, who came outta nowhere (at least to me) with a voice that lands somewhere between Ian Gillan’s scream and a thunderstorm. It’s familiar in the best way possible, like a voice you swore you heard echoing out of a muscle car stereo back in ’83.
Sonically, the album bleeds Euro Hard Rock. If you’ve ever dug through the Frontiers Records catalog or have a soft spot for the more melodic side of the steel curtain, this thing will feel like home. It’s slick, fast, and dressed in leather, the kind of record that makes you want to dust off your patched-up denim, take a trip down the freeway, and forget for a moment that the world’s gone soft. No trend-chasing. Just guitars and gut-punching glory.
If you’re the kind who still believes that Rock isn't dead, this album is your wake-up call.
Standouts: “Days of Thunder”, “Alone in the Desert”, “Sacrifice”, and “Trust Me”.
Shred-heads. Oldheads. Lifers. This one’s for you.