Remember the old days of buying albums based off the cover art alone? Throughout the 70s and 80s, this was a way of life for millions of young rockers worldwide. It’s in this same spirit I took a chance on Time Rift. A couple days ago, I had never heard of this Portland power trio. It wasn’t until I was scrolling through my Facebook feed where among dumb memes and coronavirus panic, a friend shared a link to this album. I didn’t know who these guys were, but they looked cool. The dude in the middle looks like a young Frank Marino! And the name Time Rift? Faaaarrrr ouuuttt! I had to give this album a listen.
Eternal Rock opens with an anthemic title track establishing Time Rift’s credo: They’re here to rock. Leave your corporate radio drivel at the door. The gloves are off, the shirts are off, and the volume knobs are to the right. This is loud, uncompromising metal straight out of the stoned age. Songs like “Fight for Your Love” and “Magic Bullet” are fast and hard rocking with blistering riffage, pounding drums, and soulfully savage vocals. Based off these tracks, I could easily imagine Time Rift toughing it out on the road in the 70s, sandwiched between a lineup of KISS and Rush.
If any song on Eternal Rock has “hit single” potential, it’s my favorite track, “Hooks in You”. More mid paced than the album’s usual fare, it’s carried by an absolutely wicked groove. It picks up halfway through, but not before returning to that groove one more time. Good luck not nodding your head or tapping your toes to this one.
Another song of note is “Starcrossed”. This song title screams 70s. It could be because of “Stargazer” by Rainbow and “Starrider” by Foreigner, but I digress. The first half is an uptempo romp with a big, Sweet-esque beat. It then segues into a funky section of riffs, solos, and the repeated cries of “Starcrossed!”. Nearly every 70s band dabbled in progressive rock, even if for only one song. “Starcrossed” is Time Rift’s six minutes of prog-dom.
Remember earlier when I mentioned Frank Marino? His influence on Time Rift isn’t limited to looks alone. “Fire in Her Eyes” is a mid paced hard rocker dominated by a fuzzalicious wah wah solo that wouldn’t sound out of place on Strange Universe (1975). Throw in those high pitched “ooh ohh ohh ohh”s and I’m in rock n’ roll heaven!
Eternal Rock is loud and rocking, but chock full of memorable hooks, riffs, and melodies. It’s the perfect soundtrack to shotgunning Colt 45s and snorting speed in your local arena parking lot before seeing Blue Öyster Cult. Lace up your sneakers, zip up your stonewashed jeans, and be sure to remind your neighborhood prep that disco still sucks! The time for Time Rift is now!
8 out of 10
Label: Independent
Genre: Heavy Metal/Hard Rock
For fans of: Montrose, Triumph, 70s Riot