I’m afraid it’s back to bands who came by and went shortly after, though unlike, Envy, TT Quick would record another album in 1989, but let’s not worry about that now. TT Quick were another band which came to me compliments of my sister sending me tracks of the American metal scene at the time. And of course, the track on the tape led me to explore the band’s album and that’s how I discovered TT Quick’s debut album, “Metal of Honor.”
If the lead singer, Mark Tornillo, sounds familiar, it is because he has been the lead singer for Accept since 2009. That’s the first thing I found amusing when doing my research for the album and band. After the title cut opens the album and grabs your attention, tracks two through five sound as if he is auditioning for his spot in Accept. All of those tracks scream the German band’s name. If more evidence is needed, then the second track, “Front Burner” provides it. Accept have been accused of being AC/DC rip offs, (I don’t think so) but you can not only hear Accept on the track but a bit of AC/DC influence as well. None of this is a bad thing by the way because when you listen to Mark’s vocals through the album, you can hear why he was chosen to replace Udo Dirkschneider, especially on the track, “Child of Sin.”
On the second half of “Metal of Honor,” TT Quick sound a little less like Accept and more themselves. This could be down to the shredding of guitarist Dave DiPietro. While he lays down some cool solos during the Accept phase, he comes into his own on “Asleep At the Wheel” and goes on that way for the rest of the album. After that track, the band goes a bit boogie blues on the track “Come Beat the Band.” Some so-called heavy metal purists might scoff at this track because of its blues swagger but I think TT Quick do a great job on it. Mark shows that he isn’t necessarily a Udo clone and boy does Dave shred! Of course, you got to give full marks to the rhythm section as well as they keep up very well.
Now we come to my favourite track on the album. Proof that my sister and I are on the same metal page because “Hell to Pay” stands head and shoulders above the rest of the tracks. It sounds like it might be a power ballad but the blasting of power chords at the chorus and beyond is just mind blowing. If there is any track where you can say Dave DiPietro is a brilliant guitarist, it is this one. The way he switches between melodic chords and power ones is excellent and then there is his solo, magnifique!
While “Hell to Pay” is the track of the album, the remainder doesn’t go out in a whimper. “Queen of the Scene” is a cool straight-forward metal tracks which keep things chugging nicely. Then we get to “Glad All Over” which is a Dave Clark Five cover. One reviewer of the album hated this track but I like it. Okay, maybe the chorus sounds a bit cheesy but the way TT Quick metalizes this song, especially with Dave’s shredding, who cares? Saying that, it took me several listens before I came to appreciate the closer power ballad, “Siren Song.” It’s one of those tracks which would be out of place anywhere else on the album.
Track Listing:
- Metal of Honor
- Front Burner
- Hard As a Rock
- Child of Sin
- Asleep at the Wheel
- Come Beat the Band
- Hell to Pay
- Queen of the Scene
- Glad All Over
- Siren Song
Mark Tornillo- vocals
Dave DiPietro- guitar
Walt Fortune- bass
Erik Ferro- drums
My verdict here is that while “Metal of Honor” is another great metal album which has been forgotten by many, it proved to be a springboard for greater glories for Mark Tornillo and Dave DiPietro as both would have success elsewhere.
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