Inside The Hole-Impressions

Logic(ic)illogic Records
2014

Inside The Hole is a Sicilian power-trio lead by vocalist/guitarist Roy Zappia. Formed in late 2009 this hard rock/blues rock band released the self-produced album "Beer! Sex!..and Fuckin' Roll" in 2011. "Impressions" is "Beer! Sex!..and Fuckin' Roll" after it was "touched up some". Apparently Roy Zappia and his band-mates (bassist Emanuele Cutrona and drummer Alessio Runfola) came to the attention of Logic(ic)illogic Records in late 2013 and after meeting with the label both parties decided that the lyrics and vocals on "Beer! Sex!..and Fuckin' Roll" needed to be improved. "Impressions", which was mixed and mastered at Atomic Stuff Studio by Oscar Burato, is the end result. Whatever it was that Inside The Hole (or rather front-man Roy Zappia) tweaked when it went back in the studio must have worked seeing as the ten-track "Impressions" is a damn fine thing! Self-describing their sound as "Hard 'n' Blues" and with influences ranging from Ted Nugent to Iron Maiden (something that really does work within an album like "Impressions"!) Inside The Hole captured the spirit of a working-man's barroom band on their "debut album" while firmly showcases a style that these three musicians were born to perform! "We'll Be Free" opens "Impressions" and the very first thing that one notices about Inside The Hole is the gruff voice of guitarist Roy Zappia. Whiskey-soaked and enjoyably rough this skilled guitarist gives "Impressions" an overall everyman feel and on a song like "I Pay For You" (a fave moment of mine which sounds like George Thorogood & The Destroyers teaming up with Motörhead!) he helps his band achieve a nice balance between all things hard & heavy and fundamentally-sound/authentic as hell bare-cheated blues! And it's that exact balance that makes "Impressions" such a fun listen! Musically this Sicilian band takes the best parts of Motörhead, Ted Nugent, Deep Purple and Foghat and then fuses it all together with the fanatical guitar playing that recalls Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton and Johnny Winter! For this Sicilian power-trio it's all fair game and when Inside The Hole let's everything roll nice and loose (check out "Mary, The Dream" and "Love Me Baby"!) that's one cool kicker, but it's even better when the trio gets HEAVY! The title cut actually looks towards Rainbow and Motörhead for inspiration while "Beer! Sex!..and Fuckin' Roll" slimes it's way across the stage like the Motor City Madman doing shots of whiskey with Lemmy! By the time "Begins The Blues" finally wraps this album up it's been a hell of a ride and the temptation to do it all again compels you to hit play "just one more time"*!

*Just one more time lead to an afternoon spent listening to this album again and again!

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