Van Halen
For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge

THE REVIEW

We are in 1991, and his excellency Edoardo Lodovico Van Halen opens the ninth album (F.u.c.k) with a drill; no, he's not building his son's bedroom, but, as usual, he's exploring the limits of what a six-string attached to an amp can withstand. "Poundcake" is one of those songs that hard rock should have never stopped producing: Sammy Hagar's voice comes in charged and adrenaline-filled as usual, the rest of the group has found a now-perfect sound blend, Eddie's furious strumming is well accompanied by his big brother's crazy rhythms, as can be noticed in the practically metal "Judgement Day."

"Spanked" is the typical arm-wrenching groove piece, a type that will find its sublimation in "Amsterdam," contained in the subsequent "Balance." With "Runaround" you start to feel like you're in the middle of a cycle path in Venice Beach while two classic blondes in skates and fluorescent swimsuits, who have just overtaken you, turn around to greet you with a flirtatious glance. The following "Pleasure Dome" leaves one bewildered, an almost meditative piece, I would dare say, the percussion intensifies, but the band seems to want to build something different from the usual abrupt riffs, straying from the tested patterns just enough to vary the atmosphere, only to plunge back aboard a convertible with the stereo blasting and your hair being tousled by master Eddie's solos, more or less supported by wah-wah as in "In 'N Out."

"Man On A Mission" builds a nice verse and a good bridge, but the chorus is cloying and terribly familiar, although the psychopathic "axe" wielder does everything to unsettle us. Almost the opposite "The Dream is over" where the "mutated" riff pleasantly recalls the historic "Ain't Talking About Love," while the chorus floats, strangely light, among choruses and falsettos. It's with track number 9 "Right Now" that the beauty arrives, Edward puts on his good suit, and like for grand occasions, he sits at the piano, pulling out a soundtrack melody that will remain in the group's history. With "316" Van Halen tries to make it up to his son Wolfgang for his lack of love for "do-it-yourself" by gifting him this pleasant classical acoustic piece, but it doesn't scream miracle.

"Top of the world" represents the peak, the climax that makes you jump from your seat to play the big riff without pick or guitar, the one that the old banal disengaged lovers of raucous, unruly rock 'n roll expect from a Van Halen album, so I highly recommend this album to the aforementioned rolling stone offspring, not considering it particularly significant within the group's overall discography, but still it maintains a good level for those who love indulging in some healthy rock.