Forgotten Gems: Profondo Rosso -Next Stop Neurosis

Neat Records
1997

On more occasions then I'd like to admit or even care to remember, which is to say quite a few times, I've been suckered into buying heavy metal lots or, like in this case, a "NWOBHM" lot. Back before I really knew my way around the Internet (and there was still dinosaurs and dial-up connections) it happened a lot as I would just take sellers at their word. These days I know better and am better prepared to do research before I hit either the "bid now" or "buy it now" button. With this 3-piece act I knew that I was not getting a N.W.O.B.H.M. band. Just because they were signed by Neat Records does not mean that they were some sort of British metal act. About the only thing they have in common with other Neat artists is the fact that they hailed from England! As I got it along with Sweet Savage's "Rune", Wraith's "Schizophrenia" and Slander's "Careless Talk Costs Live" (which I already had in it's re-released version) I didn't much care about technicalities. It's merely that I found it kind of funny how much (and how often) people will try to stretch the movement to cover bands like this. I mean at least Slander gets points for their love and devotion of all things N.W.O.B.H.M.! Anyway, the CD's description did mention how, upon signing with Neat Records, they were (supposedly) assigned ex-Tygers of Pan Tang front-man Jess Cox as a manager. That's interesting stuff if it's true and all.  Formed in 1992, and having a sound that owed way more favors to punk rock then it did heavy metal, the band named themselves after Dario Argento's classic 1975 Italian giallo (which is more commonly know these days as "Deep Red" I suspect). What's funny though is how the name choice doesn't really match up with the music on hand. It's possible that the band, which was lead by vocalist/guitarist John Savage, started out a bit more "edgy", but they are nowhere near as dark as their name might imply! After all we are talking about naming your band after a Italian slash-fest! The name choice aside, we're looking at a band/album that reminded me of everyone from (early) Goo Goo Dolls to the Sex Pistols. With bassist Duncan James Garvey (cool name) and drummer Karl Rouleau (also a cool name) on board we find a really steady power trio that rolls out track after track of punk rock and roll cheesiness! As they shuffle about their business on "Next Stop Neurosis" it's easy to pin-point the many bands that these three emulated.
This Sunderland, N.E. England-based band most assuredly loved the likes of The Clash as much as they did The Who. It's said that the group also owed part of their original sound to other influences like  Swervedriver, Jane’s Addiction, Manic Street Preachers and even Ned’s Atomic Dustbin, but that's less obvious (especially on this disc) then bands like The Clash, Goo Goo Dolls and The Sex Pistols. If I walked away with anything (in regards to the album) it was a desire to hear more from the group. So in a way they did get their claws hooked in me. With their only other full-length album, "To Live, And Die, In The UK", on it's way to me as I type this I guess we shall see if musical consistency was a trait that this band flourished in or not.