Rhino Bucket & THEN IT GOT UGLY

Rhino Bucket: Georg Dolivo, Brian Forsythe, Reeve Downes, Jackie Enx.
Personnel: Georg Dolivo (vocals, guitar); Brian Forsythe (guitar); Pat "Frenchie" French (harmonica); Jackie Enx (drums); Deme, Mercy [metal band] (background vocals).
Audio Mixer: Stefan Sigerson.
Recording information: Soundface, Inc., Hollywood, CA.
Returning to the studio after a brief hiatus, Rhino Bucket deliver this 11-song session that is frighteningly similar to Bon Scott-era AC/DC. In fact, the comparisons are so similar that it's easy to accuse lead vocalist Georg Dolivo of outright stealing Scott's style and the rhythm guitar from Malcolm Young. Similarities aside, And Then It Got Ugly never really travels in new waters, and is a straight-ahead, no frills rock & roll record with a shot of blues and a dash of heavy metal for good measure. And while the group does the job and does it well, the album's sole weakness lies in its monotony and inability to escape the petrified forest of "boom-bap" drum beats. But overlook these things and you'll find a band that has the promise of going beyond being just another AC/DC soundalike. ~ Rob Theakston

• Format: CD
• Genre: Rock