Jack Starr's
Burning Star

No Turning Back Burning Starr-No Turning Back (Sentinel Steel) 1986

1. "No Turning Back" (3:46)
2. "Light in the Dark" (3:39)
3. "Fire & Rain" (3:20)
4. "Call of the Wild" (4:12)
5. "Road Warrior" (3:36)
6. "Prelude in C Minor" -instrumental (1:12)
7. "Evil Never Sleeps" (3:25)
8. "Path of Destruction" (3:38)
9. "M-1" -instrumental (:27)
10. "Avenging Angel" (4:06)
11. "Run For Your Life" (5:11)
12. "Coda" -instrumental (1:15)
BONUS TRACKS
13. "Burning Starr" -'97 remix (2:57)
14. "Metal Generation" -'97 remix (4:11)

Burning Starr is the brainchild of ex-Virgin Steele guitarist Jack Starr. 'No Turning Back' was the band's third album, although the only existing member from the first two albums is Jack Starr himself. The music is power charged 80's galloping heavy metal that bring to mind Judas Priest, Dio and, of course, Virgin Steele. This cd re-issue has an outstanding booklet that features a bio and personal write-up by Dennis Gulbey, album reviews, song by song commentary by Jack Starr, tons of photos, and pictures of the three different original covers to the record. In the Kerrang review, the writer describes the band as "metal straight from the furnace of 'Rising'-era Rainbow," and I could not agree more. Vocalist Mike Tirelli has a phenomenal voice that echoes Virgin Steel's David DeFeis mixed with a bit of Halford and Dio. Speaking of DeFeis, he helps out his former bandmate by producing and performing some piano work on this album. Should also mention that the cd cover pictured above is not the original.

Blaze of Glory Burning Starr-Blaze of Glory (Metal Mayhem Music) 1987

1. New York Woman (4:58)
2. Tear Down the Wall (3:58)
3. Stand up and Fight (4:59)
4. Overdrive (3:36)
5. Blaze of Glory (3:47)
6. FFZ (Free Fire Zone) (2:04)
7. Go Down Fighting (3:28)
8. Burning Starr (2:58)
9. Mas at the World (3:04)
10. Mercy Killer (3:49)
11. Metal Generation (4:08)
12. Excursion (2:48)
13. Return from the Ashes/Personal Demons (4:45)

The follow up to 'No Turning Back' features much more cliche' 80's lyrics than it's predicesor. "Loud and fast our destiny, heavy metal is the only way to go...We're the metal generation, cold blue steel runs in our veins," or "Overdrive, I wanna hear it loud, overdrive, I'll never turn it down, overdrive, don't want no alibis, overdrive, If you think it's too loud then your too old!" Aside from this the music is in a similar bombastic heavy metal style as 'No Turning Back' although the neo-classical, Rainbow elements are less apparent and a slightly more commercial sound can be heard. Most of this probably has as much to do with the production as it does with the songwriting itself. This 2000 re-issue has been remastered and features liner notes by Jack Starr himself.

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